Ziam one shots

Distress

Summary:

Liam is an Alpha who's too kind for his own good. Zayn is a reluctant Omega surviving on a cocktail of suppressants, drugs and alcohol. Throw in needy basketcase Omega Harry into the mix, and it is all very distressing indeed.

For those new to the A/B/O universe, norabombay's primer, found here is always a good place to start.
Chapter 1: Basketcase

Chapter Text
Liam James Payne, 32, is an unbonded Alpha.

In this day and age, it's not uncommon to see unbonded Alphas and Omegas who share a heat just to relieve Omegas of a minor inconvenience every two months. In a society where casual sex is a common occurrence and where Omegas appear to hold their own against Alphas any day, bonding is extremely rare, and most times unwelcome. Because who wants to be stuck with one mate forever, right?

But Liam Payne is also an Alpha with a heart of gold, which is why he walked into the Alpha Registry building four years ago to put his name down as an available Alpha for Omegas in distress. The lines at the Registry are abuzz every day with calls from frantic young Omegas experiencing their first heat who need someone trustworthy to share it with, Omegas in abusive relationships and sometimes even mature ones whose heat hits them by surprise before they've made proper arrangements.

"So you're basically a hooker, who doesn't get paid." Niall, Liam's best friend and a Beta, had concluded after Liam first told him about the Registry.

And Liam had punched him on the arm and explained that nobody should have to suffer just because they're disadvantaged by biology. And Niall had dropped the matter.

Since then, Liam has seen many omegas through their heats, becoming friends with some of them and even being introduced to their Alphas, for the rare few who decided to get bonded.

But Harry, an 18-year old who had activated the distress signal one day after he decided that he just couldn't share another heat with that abusive father of his, had stuck. Liam had entered the house to the overwhelming scent of an Omega in full-blown heat and literally reeking of fear.

He doesn't remember how he did it, but he had pried the larger man off Harry, managed not to jump the young Omega, call the cops on the man and gotten Harry to a safehouse, before jumping Harry.

Always with the hero complex, Niall had said, that's how you get stuck with the basketcases.

Liam hates to admit it, but Niall had probably been right. Because a year on, Liam is still paying weekly visits to Harry's rented apartment after the Omega calls him crying, and each heat is shared to Harry's pleads to please mark me, make me yours. And Liam rejects him every time, because Harry is just so young, and he just doesn't feel that way about him.

Like right now, where Harry is sobbing in his arms after they've ridden out his last heat.

"Do you really have to go?" Harry whimpers.

"I've been here too long, Harry," Liam reminds the younger boy gently, "You should be resting by now. It's been a tough three days for you."

"But I want you to sleep with me," he looks up at Liam, all green eyes and curls that make him look younger than he already is.

"Harry." Always so gentle, loving, so Liam. Liam who knows he shouldn't spend more than three heats with an Omega, especially one this young, because they get attached and needy and dependent, but still comes every time Harry calls and asks only for him. Harry who keeps every Alpha away except Liam.

Liam's cell pings at this exact moment with another distress signal. An Omega is in full heat and Liam's the nearest one in the vicinity. Firing off a message that says he'll be there in 15 minutes, he presses a hurried kiss to Harry's forehead and tries not to notice the boy dissolving into sobs.