Chapter Text
The life of an ordinary omega on Altair wasn't particularly exciting, Li reflected as he adjusted the collar of the shirt he'd just put on, then fixed his hair.
As someone who worked from home, keeping a daily routine was very important to Li.
The first task of the day was to get some fresh air. Breakfast was the perfect opportunity and there was a lovely little cafe just down the street from Li's apartment that served delicious meals and good, strong coffee.
Since there was a slight chill in the spring breeze, Li had chosen a long-sleeved shirt and slacks for the day. Even though he no longer had a dress code to follow, he still liked to look professional. It was part of his routine.
After walking down to the cafe, Li took his habitual seat at the table next to the railing where he could watch the birds on the lake. His usual server, Amanda, took his order.
While Li was waiting, he took out his data pad and skimmed the latest news sites. Nothing struck him as particularly exciting. The usual gossip and political mud-slinging. It was surprising how toxic Altair's politics could be given that provinces were governed by noble families and the Crown held ultimate authority over all. The toxicity tended to show up in the local levels of governments, the city councils and the judicial courts.
"Do you have any plans for today, Li?" Amanda asked as she set down a mug of coffee before him. She was, like Li, a Taan omega, and Li guessed that she was just out of high school. It was common for omegas to find jobs in retail or hospitality, especially the young.
Not that Li was much older, at twenty-one. Luckily for him, he'd found an area of study that he excelled at, and his parents had been in a position to support him with a job. Thanks to the experience that working for his parents' agency had given him, Li could now branch out on his own.
Amanda would likely meet an alpha, a nice one, Li hoped, and she'd marry and have children. That was the future most omegas had, and most omegas were happy with. While Li would like that for himself, recent events had made that dream unattainable.
Li suppressed the bitterness that welled up at that thought. There was no point in dwelling on it as he had plenty to be thankful for in his life. He had a job he enjoyed and a peaceful home.
"I have no plans. It's just the usual today," Li told Amanda, whose attention had already shifted to his data pad.
"Isn't he gorgeous?" Amanda's nail tapped the screen, indicating a photo attached to a gossip article.
Li resisted the urge to sigh. The man in the photo was gorgeous—that was an opinion universally shared by the omegas of Altair. Unfortunately, the person in question was out of reach for most of them.
All of them, really, Li suspected.
"He is," Li agreed.
"Apparently, the omega he was seeing isn't staying at the palace anymore," Amanda continued. "It's a shame that the relationship didn't work out. He's twenty-three now, isn't he? Surely he should be thinking of having children?"
Li winced at the mention of children, though Amanda didn't notice. "I suppose," he agreed.
"Your breakfast won't be long," Amanda assured Li before leaving him to enjoy his coffee.
Li's blue eyes found the photo again. It was easy to understand Amanda's interest. Everyone—especially omegas—kept track of the alpha Crown Prince's affairs. Some because he was the heir, some because he was a Cersus alpha, and others because he was beautiful. Li was an exception. He had more personal reasons to be taking an interest in the Crown Prince's affairs.
"Excuse me, may I join you?"
Li glanced up from the data pad to see an alpha male standing next to his table. Li looked around, noting that the other tables were taken up.
"Yes, if you like," Li said, doing his best to ignore the small twinge of wariness that arose in his gut. This alpha was a Keon, not a Cersus, and he was well-dressed—probably an office worker. Minimal threat.
"I'm Winston," the man said before seating himself across from Li. "It's busy here this morning, isn't it?"
Li gave a polite nod and a smile, even as he felt himself mentally and physically retreating from the alpha.
Before Li could gather the courage to introduce himself, Amanda rescued him with her return. Li was sure that it wasn't a coincidence. He'd noticed during his time coming here that the staff looked out for the unaccompanied, unclaimed omega customers and Li appreciated that. It was difficult for omegas, even those who were independent, to stand up to alphas.
"The usual, Winston?" Amanda asked, subtly letting Li know that his new companion was a regular, and therefore, not likely to be a threat.
"Yes, please." The alpha's smile was friendly and his response polite.
"How about you, Li? Need a refill?" Amanda gestured at his coffee, and Li politely declined.
Amanda departed, and Winston glanced curiously down at Li's data pad which was still showing the news site. "Been a quiet week if all they have to report on is the prince's love-life," he commented. "And the Crown Prince's, at that. Now if there was anything going on with the omega princes, then that would be newsworthy. By now, it seems obvious that Theresa won't marry anytime soon."
So someone else had the Crown Prince pegged. Li could comfortably nod in agreement. "Though Prince Kassidy is only sixteen," he pointed out. "I do hope there's nothing to report there." Especially as the Crown went to great lengths to ensure that the youngest prince's affairs remained private in order to protect him.
"Yes, he's young. I imagine his first heat will be handled with the utmost discretion, as it should be," Winston said.
The conversation stayed on safe, non-personal ground, and Li's breakfast passed pleasantly. Winston was a little opinionated but not overbearing, and Li was happy to let Winston air his views without rebuttal. Li had little interest in politics or gossip. Words, whether written or spoken, were where Li's passion lay.
Thanks to Winston's faint accent and the occasional use of local dialect, Li determined that his companion was from the far southern province of Destor. He was proven right when he mentioned the weather and Winston complained that it was too warm. In Destor, it snowed for three-quarters of the year.
After finishing his breakfast, gathering up his data pad, and bidding Winston goodbye, Li took a walk along the lakeside before going home.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully, with Li working, taking a break for a light lunch, then working again until dinnertime. He cleaned up his dishes, then showered in preparation for bed.
Li did his best to avoid looking at himself in the mirror as he undressed. If he happened to glance over and catch sight of a blemish such as a bruise or mark, his stomach would drop sickeningly for a moment before a strange sensation of calm would come over him. That calm was always unsettling in its artificial and forced nature.
It was better than the spiral of negativity that was the only alternative, however. Without that calm, Li would not be able to live alone. He would need someone—preferably an alpha—present to draw him out of that spiral. Li did not want to be so reliant on an alpha—even if he still was in many ways.
Li dressed in his favourite pair of pyjamas—a soft, comfortable pair of long trousers and a shirt made of fabric that was too expensive for Li to afford himself.
When Li checked his data pad before bed, he noticed a message from his landlord. Not a notice of late rent—the landlord knew better than to bother Li with financial matters. It was, instead, a message that a plumber would be sent to do some work on the weekend. Li agreed to the time before getting under the covers. His data pad rested next to him on the pillow.
Though Li closed his eyes and tried to sleep, his dreams eluded him. Like every night before, he was unable to still his thoughts, which strayed far too close to the past. His body ached with the memory of the warmth of another, and his nose flared, searching for a familiar scent.
It wasn't there. All Li could smell was his own fabric softener.
Li's data pad chimed softly. Blindly, Li reached over to accept the call. Though he was in an awkward position, his data pad's camera was programmed to automatically adjust.
The holo-screen projector in the data pad's flat screen was a custom addition. On the holo-screen, Li could make out an office wall, and sitting in front of it was a man.
He was beautiful, even though there were lines of weariness etched into his face. At this time of night, that wasn't surprising.
Li ought to shift, to make himself more presentable, but he just didn't give a fuck right now. Anyway, this man had seen Li in far worse states. So Li just said, "Mmm," in greeting.
A smile spread across the man's face. He really was gorgeous, with his long red-blond ponytail, noble features and alpha air of confidence. "Good evening to you, too," he said, sounding amused.
Li finally managed a proper word. "Hi."
"Long day?" the man guessed.
Li yawned. "The usual." With his head resting on his pillow, a warm blanket over him, and familiar green eyes watching him, Li felt relaxed.
He wished he didn't need this.
"That is, I think, good news," the man responded. "Go to sleep, then."
Li closed his eyes. When he opened them again sometime later, the holo-screen was still active, with the alpha man studying something on his desk that was not in Li's view. He didn't glance up as Li hadn't made a sound.
Li watched him for some time, the comfort he felt mixed with shame. He shouldn't need this alpha so damned much. He should be strong enough to sleep in his own bed alone.
But, despite all the help this alpha had given him, Li wasn't that strong. At the literal end of the day, he was just like any other omega—dependent on alphas.
The man finally glanced up, alerted by something Li wasn't aware of. Once again, that gentle smile. "Sweet dreams?" he asked.
"No dreams," Li replied. "What time…?"
The man's eyes shifted away from Li's face briefly, then returned to him. "Ten o'clock," he said.
Li had been sleeping for less than an hour. He groaned, frustrated.
The man's smile turned amused as he leaned back in his chair, entirely abandoning his work for the moment. "Is there something on your mind?"
"I don't know… Not really," Li admitted. "I'm just… restless."
"I'd suggest that you go for a walk, but I admit that I do not like the idea," the man said.
Li laughed softly. "Of course not. It's not safe, is it? You're such a Cersus."
The man laughed, too. "Yes, I am," he agreed. "I would prefer that you were here in this office, sleeping on the sofa. Instead, your namesake is snoring away over there, and shedding fur all over the cushions."
The man reached out and gestured for the camera to turn so that Li could see the sofa near the desk. On it, a brown dog lounged, snoring softly. Li smiled fondly at the sight. "He's so cute."
The man returned the camera to its former position. "If you continue to have trouble sleeping, perhaps getting a dog will help," he suggested.
"And should I call it Theresa, too?" Li asked, his tone mischievous.
"If you… absolutely must," the man replied with a grimace.
Feeling more settled, Li adjusted his position before closing his eyes again. In the darkness behind his eyelids, he said, "I'm sorry for taking up so much of your time."
The response from the alpha was soft. "It's no trouble, Li. None at all."
There was history between them. This alpha had seen Li at his most broken. This alpha had sheltered Li while Li took the time to mend himself. Even now, the cracks still showed.
But Li was trying. Every day, he was trying. Some days were worse than others, but Li was hopeful that one day, he'd be able to let this alpha go.