Hey guys! I'm so sorry for the inactivity, stuff IRL has been murdering all of my will to write, so that's why I haven't updated in ages. This was a exchange with a friend ages ago, but I've never really been happy with it. I'm still not happy with it and think it needs to be padded out more, but I don't want to keep everyone waiting. Hope y'all enjoy it!

"So, what was that all about, again?"

Alfred felt like curling up and dying. The man – no, the sex god – beside him was unbearably casual about their situation, the sheets modestly pulled up to cover his indecency, but not enough to not reveal the pale canvas of his chest.

"I–" He was going to throw up. Would the bar staff mind cleaning up vomit? It wasn't like they didn't to clean it up downstairs on a regular basis, but they might object trying to get it out of the carpet. It was already stained and littered with ash marks, so perhaps he was doing a service to the poor room he and his almost-friend-come-lover had... Inhabited.

Bile rose in his throat, but the blond simply curled in on himself, closing his eyes and pressing his forehead against his knees.

"...Was it that bad? I'm sorry," came the other voice in a surprisingly gentle intonation. Alfred could feel eyes resting on his form. "Did I hurt you?" A hand tentatively rested on his shoulders, as if the man beside him was unsure of the touch.

This was ridiculous. Completely, utterly ridiculous. He had known Gilbert since he was a child, the two getting along like a house on fire before the awkwardness of when early puberty hit, when Alfred's first heat came along and forced it's way into his life in the same way a massive meteorite cuts through the atmosphere and deliberately hits an orphanage full of little baby dinosaurs.

Since then he drifted away from everyone where possible. He was supposed to be an alpha, not some kind of omega sissy pining about like Rapunzel in her tower, waiting for a big, strong mate to come along. He didn't want that kind of life, he didn't want to be bending over for everyone with enough hormones to make his secondary reproductive system lose it's mind.

And he had been doing so well in regards to that. Hell, half the time he forgot he was omega; at least until his biological imperative smashed him in the face with a steel bat, which was exactly as pleasant as it sounded.

"...No, I'm fine," he said carefully, turning his head to give the albino a plastered-on grin. Said albino did not look amused.

"Do you want to talk about it?" The words were gentle and Alfred simply shook his head and slid out of the sex-stained bed, his nose wrinkling at the stench of which was was mostly of his own heat. Yes, it still burned within his belly, but it was sated for the moment. The bar down below would be quiet by now, if the morning light filtering through the window indicated anything.

"...Stay safe, Jones." The blond nodded as he pulled on his clothes, carefully keeping his back turned. He had already virtually jumped Gilbert once, and he didn't need a repeat. God, how did Gilbert manage to be so calm and formal immediately after what amounted to a quick fuck? He spoke like they both weren't young men about to leave education for the 'real world'.

"I will." And, with that, he left the other and scurried downstairs, hurriedly paying a barman, making sure to tip.

He just wanted to get home and process everything, and perhaps will himself out of existence.

So close to graduation, and yet he wanted to drop out. How could he even face his class? For all he knew, Gilbert could have revealed their little shameful union, how he had basically forced himself onto the other man. Even sitting in class, he imagined the eyes of his fellow students on him.

Of course, his heat had passed without any further disasters of biblical scale, which was a source of relief for Alfred. But it was of no comfort to know that Gilbert had no reason to keep it a secret; after he had discovered his nature as an omega, the blond had basically cut off all contact with his former friends, especially those that were almost visibly blooming into alphas.

It was only after he was leaving school that he even spotted Gilbert, who had shot up in height since coming into his secondary gender. Even though he wasn't as tall as his imposing brother, as a child the albino was assumed to be an omega. That didn't turn out as planned, obviously.

"Jone– Alfred." Alfred nearly died then and there. Maybe if he wished hard enough, he would spontaneously combust.

"Uh– "

Gilbert had his arms crossed, his brows drawn together in a dramatic scowl as he leaned against a brick wall. Was he nervous? Angry? Something else? Alfred tried not to catch scent of him, moving closer but deliberately trying to stay upwind.

"I want to talk to you."

Perhaps if he could will it hard enough, some deity would strike him down with a divine bolt of lightning. Unfortunately, that didn't happen before Gilbert began to speak again.

"What was that, 'bout a week ago? You've been avoiding me since." The words were stilted, as if the alpha was unsure about himself, his eyes shifting between focusing on the ground and a spot Alfred estimated to be around two inches above his own.

"Overwhelming self-loathing, you know, the usual," the blond rattled off, waving his hand dismissively. It was only a half-lie. "Why?" He felt like a rabbit under the headlights of some oncoming car, but Gilbert actually managed to visually portray it.

"I– " He rubbed at his eyes with his knuckles, struggling with the words. "...Was wondering if you would be– Interested. In more. With me."

Alfred was pretty sure that if he punched himself he would wake up from whatever dream-nightmare he was in. He was going to die, he swore it, all the blood in his body was rushing to places he couldn't even begin to comprehend.

"I–"

"It's okay, it was stupid of me to ask, nevermin– "

Alfred wasn't sure what compelled him, was it honest feeling or suicidal intent? Either way, he found himself stepping close, rising onto his toes and pressing his lips against the alpha's.

There was a moment where the kiss seemed to still time itself, when Gilbert's eyes widened and the world froze in quiet anticipation. Alfred could feel his heart in his throat, or perhaps that was vomit.

Then, slowly, hands rose to rest on the blond's hips, simply sitting there as red eyes flickered closed and the albino's lips returned the gentle, chaste kiss they were now sharing.

Alfred melted into the strong arms of the alpha- hopefully his alpha, and the feeling of oncoming doom retreated as he sighed, releasing the tension that had taken hold of his body.

His feelings were reciprocated, his worries were unfounded.

Things were going to be alright.