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Prompto stood in the hallway outside his private room in the dormitory and carefully didn’t cry or run as his parent's employees packed up his clothes and left everything he cared about. He’d been informed about the betrothal, but his parents had generously allowed him to remain at his studies until things were finalized. When nothing happened for two semesters he had thought he was safe.
"Ah, damn." Prompto silently turned when he heard the familiar voice. Professor Vyv looked over the activity as he came up the stairs to join Prompto. “I had hoped they were lying when I was told you were moving out to get hitched. You sure this is what you want?” Prompto shot his advisor a poisonous glare. The portly beta was a wealth of knowledge when it came to navigating the waters where art met engineering, but there were things he would never understand about living in this world as an omega.
“Want has little enough to do with this matter, Professor.” Prompto judged that his parents' men were far enough away and continued. “I attended University on my parents' largess and they’ve decided my use to the family lay elsewhere.” Vyv’s eyebrows rose; he understood.
“Well, if you ever have the opportunity to return, know that I’ll make sure there’s a place for you here. If your new household… situation leaves you without the means, you would easily qualify for a scholarship. Although, on campus housing is easier to arrange for the unmated.” Prompto blinked. Was Professor Vyv implying what he thought?
“Thank you for your kind words, Professor. I’ll think on them carefully.”
Many problems ultimately boiled down to finding the correct spot to apply force. Perhaps Count Sciencia could be persuaded? Surely, he’d call off the marriage if his intended was a bore. Prompto plotted during the hours long carriage ride to his parents townhouse. It was, to their disdain, in the second most fashionable part of Insomnia. Far from where the old money lived. Still, it had been home for a quarter of Prompto’s childhood, although his parents had preferred to leave him with his tutors in the country while they traveled for business.
He briefly wondered where they were as servants removed his luggage. His legs protested the cramped journey as he started to move, he already missed the athletics field of his university. A shadow fell on the door of the carriage and it swung open, revealing the friendly face of Gladio. “Welcome home,” he rumbled plainly, but his smile was genuine as he offered his hand. Prompto felt a little more at ease as he descended from the carriage with support. He’d been deeply fond of Gladio when they were children, though time and boarding schools had distanced him from the butler’s son.
“Thank you. How do you and your family fare?” Prompto glanced around, no one else had come out from the townhouse.
“Well, thank you. Iris has taken up an apprenticeship, Father is beyond proud.” Gladio escorted Prompto up the stairs to the front entrance.
“And yourself?” Prompto was genuinely curious. Gladio had always seemed content to follow in his father’s footsteps. Perhaps he would be an ally...
Gladio pulled open the door for Prompto. “I've been training under your mother's valet and I'll be moving quite soon. I’ve been asked to take a position in a noble household, attending to no less a person than a count’s spouse.” Gladio had a good view of Prompto’s face and snorted a laugh, misunderstanding his dismay. “It’s you, silly. I’ll be coming with you when you go to your fiance.”
“Ah-” Before he could say anything more his mother bustled through the connecting hall. He was more an impression of movement and red hair than anything else.
"Ah, welcome home darling! Gladio, get him into something presentable and have a late tea prepared in my sitting room for three." He swept away before Prompto could say anything in reply.
It was the first time he'd seen his mother in nearly six months. Prompto rolled his shoulders out from where he had drawn in and glanced up at Gladio, silent.
"Come on," Gladio urged, "You heard the boss."
Prompto led the way to his room at the far end of the second level, Gladio hung back to waive down one of the maids to pass on the request for tea. He expected to have a few minutes while they waited for the stable hands to bring up his things. To his dismay, there were several new outfits laid out for him. The colors were garish compared to the blacks of his university clothes.
Gladio strode into the room and shut the door behind him. Prompto stepped behind the dressing screen that had been added to his room in his absence and dutifully stripped down to his small clothes. The screen smelled faintly of varnish, it must have been new as well. Gladio handed over a shirt and trousers and waited while Prompto pulled them on and secured the trousers with a pair of braces before coming around with two waistcoats and some cravats.
Gladio held the waistcoats up to Prompto’s chest while Prompto buttoned his shirt. Prompto refrained from pulling a face as the ruffles of the collar brushed against the sensitive glands on his neck. There were some, mainly alphas, that argued that unbonded omegas should entirely cover their necks to 'avert temptation', but Prompto found the loose cravats worn by omegas to be uncomfortable as they were.
Gladio put aside one of the waistcoats and helped Prompto into the red one. Prompto knew better than to refuse the aid, and his omega nature secretly enjoyed the feeling of being doted on. He fastened the buttons in the front then Gladio pulled the strings in the back tight.
Gladio grunted. "I don’t know why your mother keeps trying to dress you in green. All three of you took after your father's coloring and Altissia Green makes you look like a corpse." Prompto pulled a face and tried to think of something other than the time the college groundsmen had misappropriated green dye from the local clothiers to poison rats.
"It's still in fashion. Apparently the Princess wore green again last month. We'll probably have to put up with it for a few more years." Prompto struggled as he spoke. He usually left his waistcoat a little loose so he was out of practice speaking without breath. While he was glad omegas didn’t have to wear their cravats in the smooth, tight column that alphas did there were things he would have preferred.
"Maybe so, maybe not." Gladio stepped around and draped a cravat around Prompto’s neck. He frowned in concentration as he continued, "I've heard that your alpha’s no slave to fashion. No parties, barely any clubs. He probably won't care about the particulars as long as you look beautiful, and you'll outrank your mother." That did give Prompto pause. If he accepted the match he'd only be subject to one person's whims instead of both his parents, sister, and brother.
On the other hand, he could slip all of those leashes at once if he was lucky.
"Unsociable?" Prompto carefully didn’t acknowledge anything else Gladio had implied. "That must explain why he couldn’t find an omega on his own." Gladio tugged slightly too hard as he twisted the cravat into a pleasant shape. He undid the loop to start over.
"I… had thought you were pleased with the match." Gladio lowered his voice, the unstated question hung between them. The catch in Prompto’s breath had nothing to do with his waistcoat. He bit his lip and looked off to the side. He did not reply and Gladio finished dressing him in silence.
Prompto quietly thanked Gladio and took himself to the parlor to meet his mother. The space was almost cramped with its burden of art, expensive furniture, and expensive books. Prompto curled his hands protectively against his sides as he remembered his father's fury when he’d taken down an original "Deus Mathematica" to read as a child. He paced by the window to wait and wished he had his notes.
Eventually Prompto heard a clatter at the door and stood as a servant he didn't know brought in the tea. Her cheeks dimpled when she glanced at him as she set out cups and cakes. Prompto smiled back before she hurried out; leaving a faint hint of musk hanging in the air. He would have enjoyed a moment to contemplate the pretty, long-legged alpha, but he heard his mother's voice coming down the hall.
The main door to the parlor swung open, allowing him to be heard clearly. “Please, come in and be seated. Ms. Leon, this is our son Prompto. Prompto, this is our solicitor, Ms. Tiffany Leon.” Ardyn Argentum was an imposing figure of an omega, towering over his mate and the other alpha with them. Unlike his children, he looked resplendent in a green waistcoat that offset his dark red hair. By comparison Prompto’s father, Verstael Argentum, looked nearly monochrome in his black suit with his hair almost completely white. The woman with them was about a decade younger than the pair, dressed for light travel, and clutching a fine briefcase.
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance.” She murmured at Prompto as she sat on a plush chair by the low table and set her briefcase beside her. Prompto’s father sat opposite her and his mother poured the tea before sitting on one end of the fashionable green couch and shooting Prompto a pointed look.
“The pleasure is mine, Ms. Leon.” Prompto knew this was the total he would be expected to say until they bid farewell. He hated socializing with his parent’s peers; at the university his turn to speak came far more often.
Prompto sat next to his mother and accepted his tea. He waited in silence while his father and Ms. Leon went through the verbal dance of manners that alphas indulged in. He selected one of the cakes and glanced at his mother, silently offering. Ardyn pursed his lips and gave a small shake of his head. Prompto’s mind wandered as he nibbled the seed cake. The alphas droned on, talking and saying nothing. Weather, trade, the Princess-Regent, and on and on. Prompto wondered if his mother had been ill, his scent held a sour note under the perfume he wore. It wasn’t the sort of thing they would tell Prompto.
Ms. Leon kept lowering her hand toward her briefcase and pulling back. She was probably as bored as he was. Finally, enough words had been passed that she could get on with whatever she was here for. She pulled several sheets of paper from her briefcase and stood to hand it to Prompto’s father. “I got the final signatures this morning and filed them with the clerk on my way here, everything is in order.”
Verstael stood in turn to take the papers and offered her his hand. “My thanks for your diligence and perseverance. I’m sorry they dragged this out as long as they did.” He placed the papers on the table and walked to the door.
Ms. Leon closed her briefcase in preparation to depart. “It was only a matter of time.” She glanced over to the two omegas and addressed them in turn. “Mr. Argentum, thank you for your hospitality. The Count is a very fortunate man, Mr. Sciencia.”
Mr. Sciencia?
Verstael left the parlor to see Ms. Leon out. Prompto felt the world sway under him. Why had she called him that? He moved to stand, to follow and ask what she meant, but his mother’s hand gripped his wrist. Why had she called him that? He wasn’t married. He wasn’t married yet!
“Yes, you are, darling.” Ardyn pushed another cup of tea into his son’s hands. “Your father took care of all the paperwork already. Oh, don’t look at me like that! You won’t have to deal with your count until your next heat.” Prompto drank to put his scattered thoughts back in order. Shit!
"I…" Prompto's breath hitched. He cleared his throat and tried again. "I had hoped to discuss the matter with you and Count Sciencia. I could surely serve the family better at the university. Two of my papers were presented at the Royal Academy this year." There, that should change his mind. Prompto took another sip.
"Oh? I hadn't heard. Imagine that, my youngest son at the Academy all by himself." Prompto froze with the cup at his lips. His mother pressed on, poisonously sweet. "No? Your advisor attended at your side, stalwart, supportive, and silent?" Prompto carefully set his tea cup down. As soon as it was safely on the saucer his mother grabbed his chin and forced him to look Ardyn in the eye. "They didn't even invite you to attend. Your professor bragging his skill as a lecturer doesn't put our family name in any mouth worth having." Ardyn’s voice was calm and controlled, he didn't seem angry, but his hand shook.
Prompto tried to pull away and winced as he failed.
"No. Your father took his name and turned it and the family's fortunes to silver. You're a silly omega; good for naught but to be wed and bred. When your child sits in the House of Lords, you'll have turned our fortunes to gold." Prompto felt something hot on his cheeks. He opened his mouth to protest, but Ardyn squeezed his hand. "Not another word. I won't tell your father of your behavior, but you'd best make sure he doesn't hear of it otherwise."
Ardyn released Prompto’s chin. Prompto ducked his head and was almost distracted from his distress by the sight of his mother's hand. The strangely banded nails were broken and jagged at the tips and his wrist was red and swollen where it peaked out from his sleeve. Prompto recoiled from his mother, but held his silence. It would clearly do no good.
Ardyn nodded in satisfaction and staggered to his feet. "I'll have your supper taken to your room, you're clearly unsuited for company tonight." He moved quickly once he'd found his balance and left Prompto alone.
The contract still lay on the table.
He picked it up. His hands shook with the urge to rend the offending document, but steadied his hands. Even if this was the only copy his father would simply make another. Prompto read through the pages once, then again slowly. He was no solicitor, but he was an engineer. Surely he could find a long enough lever and a place to stand.
“...in the Eyes of the Hexatheon, and the honor of all custom, shall Ignis Sciencia, twelfth Count of… Prompto snorted at that. As though the Six cared for how mortals moved their money around. They-
The thought that had been creeping around the back of his mind rushed forward. They did care about one thing.
The Count’s city address was in the contract. Prompto stole a cloak from the servant’s entrance as he escaped unnoticed into the darkening city. It was going to be a hard trek, but if he couldn’t make it tonight he wouldn’t be able to escape Pursuit in a fortnight’s time.