Chapter Text
The club resonates a state of euphoria, pounding music so loud it winds from your eardrum to your toes and people pressed so close together if one person fell over it would be dominos. Sapnap hangs off of Karl’s arm, the alpha having a grin on his face so bright he rivals the LED’s. The colourful lights flicker on his face, painting him in a swirl of purples and blues, and Sapnap’s sure he must be just the same as Karl turns to him and leans closer.
“Cool, huh?” He shouts over the music, despite being less than a foot from Sapnap’s ear. He has been excited to go here for months, excited to meet the people here. Sapnap less so, he’s always been more of a stay home and watch anime kind of guy, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know how to have fun. Especially when his fiance’s happiness is on the line.
“Awesome.” He replies at the same volume, and Karl grins; sparkling teeth reflecting virtues. “Awesome.” He agrees with a giggle, and turns away to scan the crowds. “C’mon.”
The intention of tonight is to get them both laid, which in his college years would have meant entirely good things, but now Sapnap can’t help the itch that lies just under the surface of his skin, scraping every inch of his body in a cynical discomfort.
It’s not that he feels uneasy at how Karl would feel about it: his fiance made it very clear on their first date that Sapnap would not be the only person he slept with. The only person he loved, obviously—he never sees the same person twice, and Sapnap always has to give the a-okay beforehand—but his alpha hypersexual behaviour means he feels more comfortable in caring for Sapnap when he has an omega to let it out on.
Which Sapnap has never minded. He’s not a particularly jealous beta, and it just means when they make love together (which Karl doesn’t do with anyone else; he fucks other people, it’s a completely different thing) they both can enjoy it equally rather than having that pressure of Karl always needing more.
Plus, he himself is quite an insecure person, and one of the big things he’s always struggled with in relationships is not living up to standards when his partner begs for either an alpha or omega; of which he is neither. So when he knows Karl will always be satisfied, even if it's not because of him, it soothes his worries.
They have the peak of healthy relationships, and since they’ve gotten engaged it’s only gotten better. So no: that isn’t what Sapnap’s worried about.
Sapnap’s worries lie with said insecurities. Karl’s been the only one to see his body and/or see him in action in years , ever since they got together. Because while Sapnap always had the option to sleep with other people (encouraged to, even) he’s always been happy with Karl. Happy with someone he knows. Happy with someone he knows he’s comfortable with.
But Karl insists that before they devote themselves to each other entirely with marriage, Sapnap should try at least one other person he finds attractive. ( “You don’t have to find them tonight.” Karl had reassured on the way over, “hell, you may not find them at all! But what’s the harm in trying, right? ”)
So Sapnap’s been dragged along to his alpha’s usual stake out for a one night stand, in hopes of finding someone who, quote, “strikes his fancy”. But it’s his first time with someone else in years, so he’s a tiny bit terrified. (Despite how he was promised sex hasn’t changed at all since his college days, and he’s very good at it anyway.)
Karl drags them to be sat at the bar, and once ordered drinks and looking back at the beta, he finally notices the intimidation on his expression. “Oh, babe.” He rubs his shoulder reassuringly, “just have a look around okay, do you mind if I circle the room?”
Not wanting to hold his antsy fiance back, he gestures for him to go with a plastered-on smile. “Have fun!” He calls to his back, though purses his lips in dismay as soon as out of sight.
Once received his drink, he sips on it slowly, silently cursing his fiance’s odd love of stronger drinks. He scrapes the taste off of his tongue with his tongue and a grimace, and then takes a longer gulp. A glance around the room proves none of the wriggling bodies nor the overpowering scents circling the room “strike his fancy”, and he frowns into his glass.
He didn’t really want to find anyone tonight anyway, it’s fine.
He swivels back to be facing the bar, and suddenly the man sat a few seats down from him entices his attention. He’s most likely an omega with his short height and slim hips, and his dark hair falls around his face in an attractive, seductive manner that would leave any horny alpha drooling. But Sapnap (the frigid, quirky, normal-saliva-rate beta that he is) is more focused on the man’s expression.
The bags under his bloodshot eyes are as dark as the sea in a storm, and the neon lighting flickers in the tear-marks on his cheeks. His frown lines are exaggerated by the scowl set deep into his face, and he’s getting through his drink faster than the people chugging in the corner.
Sapnap’s face blazes with pity, but his unsureness of social situations with new people means he stays right where he is, trusting the man will get through whatever it is with alcohol fine. He’s reassured the man can take care of himself as an obnoxiously drunk alpha swaggers over to the omega, smirk teasing the edge of her lips as she leans down close to his face, fingers tracing the edge of his trousers.
The omega doesn’t waste any time in grabbing the front of her shirt, upset turned to anger as he growls something to her face. Her eyes widen a little, and as let go she’s gone, scampering into the crowds as the omega turns back to his regularly scheduled alcoholism.
So Sapnap keeps to himself, only talking when he politely rejects a few interested omegas, enticed by his burly arms and overgrown leg hair. He doesn’t see Karl again, but he didn’t expect to, and when he reaches an hour of being there he gives himself ten more minutes before he gives up on seeing anyone who looks like they’ll treat him remotely kindly.
His gaze drifts back to the omega, who hasn’t left his attention long, and the burning suggestion to see if he wants a ride home churns his stomach. But he’ll be refused (not going home with strangers is like the first lesson in how-to-be-an-omega class, especially drunk ones you meet at the club, which Sapnap isn’t far off) and then that will just make for an awkward conversation, so he stays exactly where he is. Like a wimp.
And then when the ten minutes is almost up, a pair of familiar hands grasp his shoulder and launch themselves toward him. Sapnap jumps and swivels toward his fiance, hand grasping his heart. “Jesus Christ.” He mutters, though fondly, and Karl laughs.
“‘Supp, bro.” He grins, smile too wide to be sober, and moves to be curled up in Sapnap’s arms. “You've been sitting here all night?”
“Didn’t see anyone I liked.” Sapnap shrugs, and Karl smiles like he knows something Sapnap doesn’t. “Oh, really ?” He tilts his head, wiggling his eyebrows, and Sapnap’s fond expression turns to suspicion. “Yes, really.”
“Oh, really, really? Because a little birdy told me that you've been staring that pretty omega up all night.” He whispers obnoxiously, gesturing over to the depressed man sitting a few seats down from them, and Sapnap shushes him in embarrassment despite how it would be a miracle if the man heard them over the music.
“I have not.”
Karl scrambles to his feet, face lit up in excitement. “You have so! Do not lie to me young man, I am your alpha and almost husband!”
“I’ve been worried about him.” Sapnap protests, face flushed, “he looks.. Sad.”
“Then cheer him up, kitten. Maybe he’s looking for someone with no attachments.”
“He’s growled at anyone that's come within a metre of him.” Sapnap points out, and Karl quirks an eyebrow at the observation. “Well have they all been asshole alphas?” He says like he knows the answer, “trust me, this is when being a beta is useful! Lot’s of omegas prefer you guys to us horny knot-brains.”
“I don’t want to sleep with him, Karl.” Sapnap sighs, though it’s a lie. “I want to make sure he’s okay.”
Karl huffs. “You, my darling angel sweetpea, are too lovely for this world.” He hauls Sapnap to his feet, and before he can protest shoves him toward the omega. “Ask him if he’s okay, then.”
Sapnap stumbles, and before he can withdraw his obnoxious entrance has already attracted the omega’s attention. He glances at Sapnap, taking in his ripped jeans and band t-shirt, and sniffs in suspicion.
“Hey.” Sapnap awkwardly shouts over the music after a long moment, deciding that since he’s been forced into this situation, he might as well make the most of it. “Can I buy you a drink? Uh- some water maybe?” He gestures at the guy’s fourth drink since he arrived.
The shorter looks down at his drink, looks back up at Sapnap, and seems to make his mind up about something. “You can buy me something stronger.” He says eventually, and when Sapnap grins he can practically hear Karl’s cheers of encouragement in the back of his mind.
He nods and gestures the bartender over, ordering two alcohol-free beers. A raised eyebrow from the man has him shrugging, “you look like you need a break, and it is technically stronger.”
The omega hesitates before smiling back. “Not by much. You’re a beta?”
“Yeah. Yes, yeah.” Sapnap nods, “I am.”
The guy seems amused by this answer, but it’s a league better than rejection, so Sapnap doesn’t mind too much. He settles on the stool next to him, deciding against checking back to see if Karl is still by the bar wiggling his eyebrows at him.
“Cool. I’m omega.”
Sapnap nods. “I figured.” But then cringes when he realises that’s probably rude considering how sensitive this guy was to alpha’s earlier. Fully expecting rejection, or a drink to the face or something, he’s surprised when the noirette laughs softly, eyes twinkling in curious enjoyment.
“And what made you figure ?” He exaggerates the last word with the tease, as if he knows that he’s a mouse cornering a cat.
Well fuck. What's a polite way to say your fat ass?
Sapnap stutters, before clearing his throat. “Your.. fat ass.”
The omega is clearly not expecting this answer, and he stares at Sapnap in silence for a long minute, the corner of his lips twitching up in wonder. Then he bursts into a fit of gorgeous giggles, and Sapnap thinks that that must be the most intense sensation of relief ever felt in the history of man.
He slowly comes to stop with his laughter, before reaching a hand out to be shaken with a smile still wide on his face. “Hi, I’m Alex Quackity, pleasure to meet you.”
Were Sapnap not to have shaken his hand in that moment, the only reason would have been because he was physically paralysed everywhere and wasn’t able to. Not a single thought passed through his mind that was anything similar to “walk away”. He feels blessed just being in this guy's presence, he is not going to screw it up.
“Sapnap.” He takes the offered hand, trying not to grip too hard or little, and begging his sweat rate doesn’t match his internal blush. “Uh, I’m Sapnap Halo. ‘Quackity’ is an interesting last name.”
It's a lame start up to conversation, but the omega takes it in his stride. “Well Sapnap is an interesting first name.” He rebuts, and takes a sip of his new drink before continuing. “And I’m aware, my friends have even started quacking at me every time they want my attention.”
Sapnap smiles amusedly at the thought. “Hah, they sound fun.”
“They're not. They're the worst pile of assholes I've ever met.”
The two share polite laughs at the joke—or, presumed joke—and Sapnap’s mind wanders until an unbridled thought comes to mind. He's laughing at it before he can even get the words out. “I guess-” he’s cut off by his laughter, and the omega raises a curious eyebrow. “I guess people with duck kinks really like moaning your name, huh?”
Quackity processes the statement, and then slowly begins laughing at both the absurdity and humour of it. “You—what?!” He cackles.
Sapnap sniggers as new scenarios keep coming to mind unbidden. “Like, you can imagine the guy just-” and then he makes the best attempt he can at a realistic quack, but with seduction to it. Quackity begins to piss himself with laughter, and as Sapnap joins him he realises that he’s flirting through quacking; and is almost definitely drunk.
“Okay, Sapnap, Jesus. I didn't wanna hear about your weird-ass kinkss-” Quackity can't control his laughter long enough to get out the sentence, and ends up doubling over on his stool as he accidentally makes his own almost-quack-wheezing-snort through his laughter.
It only sends the pair into more extreme howls of laughter, and soon enough they're just loudly quacking at each other over the music, trying to see who can make it sound the most erotic.
“quACK~”
“QUaCK~”
“quack~”
“~~qUacK~~”
“~ QUACK ”
Quackity’s hand latches onto Sapnap’s lower arm for stability as he laughs, and suddenly the ravenette is aware of every single one of his arm hairs in that specific region and is praying to every God that could potentially exist that he couldn't sweat around his wrists no matter how flustered he were. Quackity leans close to Sapnap’s face with a glint in his eye and a wide smile from leftover sniggers. “How on earth could you quack erotically so well?”
Sapnap grins back. “Well. It only took a few years of experience-” Quackity giggles, “-but I could give you a full demonstration in bed.”
He winks half-jokingly, leaning on his elbows as Quackity lets go of his wrist to lean in closer. “Are you tryna take me home with you, hot-shot?” he interrogates with a smirk.
Sapnap matches his leaning-in distance, and the air between them turns thinner. “Well, uh, it would have to be you taking me home as my place is occupied. But we can do anything you wanna do, ducky.”
Quackity smiles, and this close Sapnap can see every crack in his chewed lips, and every mole and freckle. He wants to count them. “I'm sure we can work something out,” Quackity shrugs, “you seem like a cool guy.”
Sapnap grins, going to say more, before he's interrupted by Quackity continuing.
“But I have to mention this would need to be a one-time thing, sweetheart, my relationship status is a little complicated right now and I don't need a whole other person to worry about.”
“I was just about to say the exact same thing.” Sapnap’s smile is matched by his companion, and Quackity seems to let out some kind of thankful breath of relief.
“That's-” the omega is clearly trying to hold back a larger grin. “Great. That's uh, very convenient. Wow.”
“Cool.” Sapnap glances around, noticing Karl is gone again, then turns back to the other with an affirming smile. “You want another drink in the meantime?"
“Something non-alcoholic, I presume.” Quackity leans back to be sat normally in his seat, smirking fondly.
Sapnap falters. “Well, I suppose that depends how sad you still are by whatever got you here in the first place. You seemed to be going through them quickly before and I have a rule about sleeping with black-out drunks.” Or, he did, about five years ago when he was still sleeping with people.
Quackity shuffles, his expression flickering. “That's fair enough.” It’s a moment before he speaks again. "You've cheered me up a lot, and played a great distraction. I'll be okay with a couple beers, promise.”
Sapnap bites his lips with a smile. “I'll order the first round, then.”