Mark Me Yours [Omegaverse]

Let Me Make it Even

Ryan made it to the restaurant with five minutes to spare. Scott had picked one relatively close to the grocery store where he worked, which was nice because that meant he could walk and save on transport. It was a nice "family style" place, complete with merch from the local highschools, and an art wall for the poorly colored kids menus.

He didn't get much rest, but thankfully because of heat leave he didn't have to work again until tomorrow afternoon. He started for the hostess stand, when he saw a familiar face waving at him from a booth. This isn't a date, this is an apology. Just an apology. He made his way over to the table.

"Ryan! You made it! Did you find the place okay?"

"Yeah, I ah- live near here. I thought I was early. How long have you been here? Did I keep you waiting?"

"Don't worry, not too long. The traffic wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

The waitress came to get Ryan's drink order. "Need a few minutes to look over the menu, hun?" She was an older lady, and very clearly addressed the question to Scott.

"Ryan, do you need some time?" Scott seemed to make it a point to redirect the question. His own menu was already folded at the end of the table.

"Wha-? Oh, yes please. Sorry." As Ryan started flipping through the menu the waitress walked off. He noticed the meals here were definitely out of his budget. Don't pick anything too expensive, just in case.

"Doesn't it bother you when people do that?" Scott asked, absentmindedly playing with his straw wrapper.

"Not really. I kinda get it when it comes to older people." He lifted a hand to fidget with his collar. "And they don't make these things in my skin tone, so it makes it fairly obvious what I am. I don't go out much anyway."

Every unpaired omega wore a bite collar. They were usually made with Kevlar or reinforced with metal mesh, but they prevented unwanted pairings. Any alpha in rut would send an omega into heat, and that always led to sex. Usually violent sex. The law was iffy about calling it rape, but the collars prevented the omegas from bonding with their attackers.

Omegas have a gland on the back of their neck which helps regulate their pheromones and controls the bonding reaction. If an alpha bites an omega there while it's most active during a heat cycle, a biological reaction takes place between the alphas saliva and the omegas nervous system. Basically, the omega becomes locked to that alpha and there's nothing they can do about it. There are even stories where if an omega tried to mate with anyone except their paired alpha, it would make them sick, or send them in to convulsions, or any number of unpleasant things. The collars were an important precaution, but also a mark of stigma.

"So," Ryan continued, hoping to change the subject, "what are you thinking of getting?"

-+-+-+-

"No no no! I swear it's the truth!" Scott laughed, "I really did treat someone who tried to use a potato as a contraceptive!"

Ryan his his mouth behind his hand, his body shaking with suppressed mirth. "How can anybody think that would work?"

They had finished eating a while ago and were both nursing cups of coffee. Scott's had cream and sugar, Ryan's was straight black decaf.

Scott stirred his cup absentmindedly. "So, you're in customer service, I'm sure you've got an oddball story or two?"

"Well, nothing as crazy as a potato plug, but one of my coworkers at the grocery store had a guy who was trying to be an extreme couponer."