Work Text:
Zaun was not the only place where an Alpha could find a bride for the right price, but they had made it an especially lucrative business.
Viktor counted himself lucky that he was taken in by one of the higher-end establishments. His parents died without making arrangements for him, though he laid no fault at their feet; it wasn’t as though anyone planned to be murdered in a failed uprising. But his new life had afforded him a roof over his head, food in his stomach, and a proper education. He was luckier than most. Not the least because his tutors had taken note of his intelligence, fostering it with the rather un-altruistic motive of one day fetching a higher price for him. Viktor was as well-versed in chemistry, physics, and calculus as running a household or rearing children. One of the smartest and loveliest Omegas in the House, Lest was in talks with two different Chembarons for him.
Viktor had a lot of time to himself these days. He would be out of the house soon, had already learned everything his tutors could teach him and more. He had never been close to the other Omegas in his not-home, but that was hardly new. He had never been close to other people at all.
So while the others were gossiping together about the Piltie alpha who had come down to find a wife, Viktor was snooping around Lest’s office.
He had already read every book given to him and had no materials with which to experiment; he looked forward to that when he left. He would certainly be building experimental weapons or designing drugs for whichever Underworld chemlord who ended up knotting him, but it would give him something to do, and that was what he craved most of all. He was so incredibly bored down here.
Lest, their Madame/Governess/Escort was showing off some of their especially high-class Omegas to that topside Alpha. Someone from a lower House whose name they didn’t need to know. They came down to Zaun sometimes. Most brides cost too much for random Alphas to even try their hand, but Pilties could be easily tricked into paying double, even triple because it was still cheaper than the money and political favors they would spend topside. There, social expectations bound families too tight to breathe. Viktor didn’t envy whichever of his “siblings” ended up there. No Piltie Alpha was going to choose him, a fact that suited Viktor perfectly. In the fissures, disabilities like his weren’t uncommon. It wouldn’t affect his bride price as long as he stayed close to home — exactly what he wanted in the first place.
Viktor poked through the books lining Lest’s shelves, mostly finances and sums, things he had already looked over for her a dozen times. Dull and tired. No novels, and certainly none of the research journals she sometimes gathered for him to keep Viktor from tearing apart the whole house for something to do.
So he didn’t think he would find anything interesting when he opened the bag. And when he realized it belonged to the Piltie Alpha, he thought, I should put this down.
He didn’t put it down.
Jayce had never thought he was a picky person until the sixth time an Omega was was presented to him and he said, “No thank you, that won’t be necessary.”
God, he didn’t think it would be this weird to look for a mate. When Cassandra Kiramman offered to pay for him to pick out a bride as a special gift, he was mostly happy to have it over with. His family wouldn’t have been able to afford such an extravagance on their own, never mind negotiate marriage to an Omega of another House. That they could afford, but it was a swamp of expectations and frivolry and unspoken understandings that would have driven him insane. His other option was to marry for love. Another thing that wasn’t happening any time soon. Jayce’s only real passion was his research, and that was something he couldn’t share with anyone else. Not yet. Not until he cracked it.
This gift should have been a relief. A weight off his shoulders. And it was . . . until he started turning down every option shown to him. Now it was just a different kind of stress. Did everyone have this much trouble choosing? The vastaya woman showing him around certainly seemed like she was getting tired of him. Jayce couldn’t even blame her. He wasn’t trying to make things difficult. It was only that none of the options were . . . standing out to him. Was he really wrong for being so picky? It was only the person he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with, raise children with. He didn’t want just anyone.
Maybe he was the weird one. No other Alphas seemed to put this much thought into it. Now he’d seen over a dozen different, lovely Omegas, any one of whom he could have taken home and ignored until it was time to go to bed together. That seemed to be what most people in his circle did. He didn’t know why he was making this so difficult for himself.
And everyone else, since Lest sighed deeply when he said no again. “Wait in my office a moment,” she said, showing Jayce the way. “I need to gather some of the others.”
Because Jayce had already blown through everyone she thought he’d like. Great. This could only go well.
Jayce was mentally composing an apology to Cassandra when he opened the door and saw the Omega with his journal in hand.
They both stopped, staring at each other like characters in a play who’d forgotten their cues. The Omega was sitting on top of a desk surrounded by papers, a pen in one hand, Jayce’s journal in the second. His hair, messy chestnut-brown waves, was half-pulled up with a few locks falling to frame his eyes.
God, his eyes . . .
When he looked at him, Jayce almost couldn’t breathe, held in place by his golden stare. Jayce made a broken sound in the back of his throat, and the Omega flinched, holding the journal closer to his chest. Defensive, like he thought Jayce might steal it.
Steal it? All at once, Jayce snapped out of the trance, shocked awake by remembering those were his notes the Omega had stolen. “What are you— why do you have that?” He wasn’t sure if he sounded too angry or not enough. “Give it back!”
“I can’t.”
“You— what?”
“I have to finish making my notes,” the Omega said simply, as though anything he were saying made sense. “This is yours?”
“Yes, obviously.”
The Omega nodded as though Jayce had just confirmed his theory. Then he held the book open and said, sure of himself, “Your hypothesis has merit, but the method is incorrect. The crystals will only stabilize at a high frequency, not the other way around.” Then he tossed the notebook over, shrinking back on himself. Prepared for an argument.
Jayce caught the book, frustration burning up inside him, turning his neck hot. “Who the Hell even are you?” He snapped, furious even as he let his eyes wander over the page, taking in lines of neat annotations. “What would you even know . . . about . . . ”
Jayce read, then reread. The Omega leaned back on his arm as he waited for Jayce’s verdict, anxiety thick in his scent — something burnt and painful, making his nose twitch. Jayce looked up, catching his eye again. (God, his eyes . . . ) “You’re right.”
The Omega scoffed. “Obviously.” His hand twitched at his side. Like he wanted to steal the journal back, but knew better than to try. He looked past Jayce to the door. Slowly, he slipped down from the desk, one hand grabbing a cane from against the wall. When he walked, there was a slight limp, localized to his right leg. Jayce took all of this in, watching like it was important. “If that is all, I will leave you to wait for—”
Jayce shut the door. “What’s your name?”
The Omega stopped in his tracks. He stood straighter, spine tense. “It’s Viktor.”
Viktor. Jayce repeated the name to himself, then again, memorizing it. “Viktor.” Jayce stepped closer. Slowly, letting his own calm scent fill the room. Citrus and cream, the smell of an Alpha trying to soothe their mate. Viktor didn’t relax just yet. Jayce held the journal out. “Any other ideas?”
Viktor stared at him, maybe trying to figure out Jayce’s motives. Jayce just waited, quiet, hopeful.
Slowly, Viktor took the book. Flipping open to a page like he already had the whole thing memorized, trailing a finger down the center. “Your math is excellent, but over-complicated. You make things more difficult for yourself. Like here — you used Otto’s theorem when you could have just . . . ”
Jayce listened to him speak, more enchanted by his voice than the words he was saying. Viktor had a low, intentional timber. Unusual for an Omega, but gorgeous nonetheless. He leaned heavily on his cane as he spoke, treating it as another appendage, a part of him. He was dressed down compared to the parade of Omegas Jayce had already been introduced to. A loose, dark-purple pinstriped gown buttoned over his blue corset and a chemise of the same color, throat hidden by a leather collar. Likely to prevent any unwanted Alphas from marking him. It was decoared with the silver sigil of the Omega House where they stood. Jayce suddenly hated it, wanted to tear it away and replace it with one of his own work. Deep red leather with the Talis hammer in gold would look so lovely against Viktor’s pale skin.
Viktor turned away from him suddenly, reaching for a pen. He leaned over the desk as he worked, sketching something out on a blank page, fingers moving faster than he could talk. “Your problem is the crystal’s stability, yes. But you need to push your work harder, not draw back. It’s the same as the frequency—”
Viktor’s mouth clicked shut when Jayce’s hands fell on his waist. He didn’t say anything when Jayce dipped his head down, pressing his nose into that slim neck, getting as close as he could to locked-away scent glands. Viktor had a lovely throat, tall and pale, gently scented with sweetmilk and something spiced. Jayce nuzzled him, buried his nose in Viktor’s hair and breathed in until the Omega’s scent filled him entirely. Even as Viktor grew tense and still, Jayce relaxed. Like he was finally where he was meant to be. “I want you.”
Viktor scoffed, trying for a moment to wrench himself away. Jayce didn’t let go. “You don’t. There are dozens — hundreds — of Omegas far better-suited to you.”
“I don’t think there are.”
“You’re a topsider. You don’t want a trencher with a fucked leg and half-eaten lungs.” Viktor’s tone was perfectly reasonable, which was weird since he was wrong. “Maybe as a whore, but not a wife.”
Jayce growled, angry at the insult to his lovely mate. “I decide what I want.” One hand played with the buttons at the front of Viktor’s chest, the other dipping down, struggling past his dress until he found soft skin. Jayce wrapped a hand around Viktor’s slim thigh, holding onto him. “And I want you. As my wife. As my mate.” His hand slipped up, finding soft curls of hair and a bared pussy. His jaw ached, wanting to bite. He was so hard he could die. It didn’t sound too bad, except then he’d never get to fuck Viktor, which was unacceptable. “C’mon. Let me have you.”
Without waiting for an answer, Jayce pressed a hand into the small of Viktor’s back and shoved him down to the desk, holding him in place. Viktor let out a sharp, panicked noise, but didn’t protest. Or maybe he did. If so, it was weak enough to not make a difference.
Jayce’s hands kept moving, one cupping Viktor’s sweet little Omega cock and reaching past it to find his pussy already wet for him. Jayce melted, something like a purr rising in the back of his throat. He nipped at Viktor’s ear, shoving two fingers into his cunt. Viktor gasped, straining against Jayce’s hold and arching his back. “You—” Viktor cut off in a groan, pussy fluttering around Jayce’s thick fingers. “You have big hands . . . ”
An almost humiliating amount of adrenaline rushed through Jayce’s blood, turning him dizzy. “Do you like that?” Jayce would have willingly walked to his death if Viktor said no. He needed Viktor to want him back, needed him to feel good, needed to be the one who made him feel good. “Please, just—”
“I like it.” It came out as a confession, something Viktor didn’t want to be true. Viktor let out a long whine, eyes shuttering. “Fuck, Jayce, please—”
Jayce didn’t know if Viktor was begging him to stop or keep going. It mattered little. He bunched up Viktor’s dress in his hands, heard fabric tear in his rush to push it up. His prize was Viktor’s ass, pale and gorgeous and his for the taking. Jayce palmed one cheek, a rush of giddy warmth moving through him when he saw how easily Viktor was swallowed up by his hands. Viktor whimpered beneath him, gripping the edge of the desk to support himself. Jayce took a step back to appreciate him properly — the arched curve of his neck bowed in submission, two freckles across his shoulder, eyes screwed up and mouth shut. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead, over the harsh line of his cheek and falling off his lip.
Jayce had never been so horny in his life.
He didn’t think about what he did next. Just fell to his knees and spread Viktor open for him, memorizing every line and contour of his pink pussy, his cute little cock. A small brown mole dotted a little to the side, perfectly placed to tease. Even though he knew he would get to see this whenever he wanted now — because there was no way Viktor wasn’t going home with him, Jayce would fight if he had to — he couldn’t resist taking his time.
Not until Viktor beat a fist on the desk and demanded, “Put your mouth on me, you Piltie asshole!”
Jayce had never been so happy to do as he was told.
He spread Viktor open with his thumbs and leaned up, pressing the flat of his tongue to Viktor’s pussy, circling his cock and peeking into his tight opening. Viktor made a harsh whine, struggling to silence himself. “Fuck,” Viktor groaned, struggling against Jayce or maybe himself. “Fuck!”
“Good?” Jayce traced the seam of his pussy with two fingers, delving in and crooking his fingers forward.
“Fuck you,” Viktor groaned and kicked the desk with his good foot, every muscle that Jayce could see pulled taught. “Keep touching me.”
Whatever you want.
Viktor smelled just like an Omega should under their mate. Hot and sweet and enticing, drawing Jayce in. And Jayce ate him out like he was in love. He didn’t take his mouth off of him for more than a few seconds, licking and prodding his way deeper. His nose pressed into the base of Viktor’s cock, tongue delving as deep as it could until Jayce’s face was flat against him. Viktor convulsed around his tongue, gushes of warm liquid making their way down Jayce’s throat.
When Viktor came, his pussy fluttered around Jayce’s tongue, making the Alpha’s eyes roll back in his head. He’d never been high before, but he thought it must be something like this. Floating on a wave of pleasure, his own cock straining painfully against his pants. Thoughtless, he tore his pants open, groaning into Viktor’s pussy when his erection was freed. Viktor shivered around him, legs going limp, holding himself up entirely on the desk. Jayce could hear him breathing. Heavy, uneven. Removing his tongue, Jayce pressed a soft kiss to the mole on Viktor’s pussy. “Okay.” One hand pressed to the floor, Jayce pushed himself up, pulling himself to stand behind Viktor. “My turn now.”
Viktor whimpered when the Alpha settled into place, but didn’t stop him. No point now. Jayce had already made a decision, and Viktor was just the fool who would have to live with it.
Viktor had long let himself collapse atop the desk, pressing his cheek into the gleaming wood, watching the Alpha from the corner of his eye. Jayce was holding Viktor’s dress up with one hand, the other wrapped around his obscenely hard cock, guiding him—
Viktor let out a shocked breath when Jayce pushed into him, splitting him open even as he was being so careful. Viktor trembled, but Jayce’s hands kept him steady. He had nice hands . . .
“You feel so good, sweetheart.” Jayce’s voice rumbled over his ears, imprinting itself on Viktor’s brain. Viktor was never going to forget him now. He couldn’t. Jayce was doing too good of a job ruining him.
Viktor supposed he could have done more to stop him. Instead he was bent over, swallowing Jayce’s cock whole, still dripping wet from his mouth. But he couldn’t help it . . . or maybe that was just what he told himself. Sensitive and needy, Jayce pressing against every wanting ridge inside of him, sending pleasent jolts up his spine. The air was humid and stinking of them, the rhythmic slap of skin on skin, Jayce’s groans and Viktor’s half-bitten off mewls. They fit together perfectly. Viktor felt an intense flare of hatred for the Alpha, for taking this from him and for giving it to him, a rush of heat claiming his face.
Jayce either didn’t notice the complicated maelstrom of emotions flooding the Omega or just didn’t care. Both seemed likely. He rubbed soft circles into Viktor’s waist, still gesturing at gentility as he stuffed Viktor full, leaving bruises on his ass with the force of his hips. “So hot and wet for me.”
Viktor rolled his eyes. So original. Before he could say anything, Jayce tilted his hips up, shoving deeper. Viktor let out a sharp breath, half-pain, half-pleasure as Jayce kissed his womb. His fingers curled over the edge of the desk, knuckles white. “Fuck, Jayce . . .”
“God,” Jayce muttered. “Even your hands are perfect.”
Viktor scoffed. “They’re just— ah!— just hands.”
“Gorgeous hands. So fucking long and . . . mmfh . . . ” Jayce punctuated his words with thrusts, driving him insane, driving him to delirium. “Elegant . . . gonna look so good with my ring.”
Viktor wanted to curse him out, to turn around and claw Jayce’s face up. Instead he curved under his hands, ass up in classic presentation. He was taking it like a good Omega, the kind Jayce probably fucked all the time. He could have killed himself for folding so easily. If only Jayce Talis wasn’t fucking him so well he’d feel it in death. “Fuck!” Viktor squirmed wriggling around Jayce’s cock, slick gushing down their legs. Oh, fuck it. “Fuck, don’t— agh!— don’t stop, Jayce.”
With every move, Viktor moaned, eyes drifted shut, mouth agape. He had never been this . . . this full. He had used toys before, but an Alpha had never actually touched him, fucked him. Sometimes, in the mind-numbing throes of heat, he and the other Omegas would pleasure each other with their hands so they didn’t go insane. But it never went any further. They needed to remain pristine for their future mates.
You fucking ruin me, Jayce Talis . . .
It was so good that Viktor didn’t care.
Jayce was bent over him, beating his ass with his hips. He let one hand up to caress Viktor’s face before gently cupping the Omega’s neck. Viktor let out a soft breath. He was warm and loose beneath Jayce’s hold, fully submitting to his body’s betrayal. “Beautiful,” Jayce muttered. “My perfect, lovely Omega. So sweet, so wet and tight for me.”
“You are unoriginal,” Viktor muttered, though the faintest hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“Can’t help it.” Jayce shoved Viktor’s ass open further, ducking back a moment to watch the place where their bodies connected. “Can’t help that it’s true.”
Jayce leaned over the stretch of Viktor’s back, teeth closing around the collar protecting the last piece of Viktor from him. He growled, fangs struggling against the leather, trying to rip it open.
Beneath him, Viktor rolled his eyes. “Must you?”
“Don’t want to wait.” Jayce’s hands abandoned Viktor’s waist, propping himself up on the slick wood to keep his whole body from buckling. Everything narrowed down to the violent pump of his hips, working Viktor open like it was the only thing he cared about. “Want to take you home. Get you pregnant and keep you like that. Chain you to my bed and eat you out twice a day.”
“I’m sure you do,” Viktor groaned, resigned. “Just don’t — oh, fuck — don’t knot me.”
It would have been embarrassing, how much Jayce’s growl affected him. If only it weren’t for everything else. “Why not?”
“Because,” Viktor hissed, “you’re still not my fucking Alpha.”
“I will be,” Jayce growled. “Marry me.”
Viktor scoffed. He didn’t believe him for a second (he wanted to believe him). He still fully expected Jayce to have his fun and leave him like that, ruining his chances at another mate, at the life in Zaun he’d been promised. “If you— agh!— say so, Alpha.”
“I’m serious.”
Abandoning the collar, Jayce dug his teeth higher on Viktor’s neck, biting until iron-rich blood flooded his mouth. They moaned at the same time. All he could see, smell, taste was Jayce, fucking him like he thought he could meld their bodies together. Tears flooded his eyes. I want to believe you. Viktor had to leave with him, he just had to.
“Let me take you home,” Jayce pleaded, skin slapping so loud, Viktor almost couldn’t hear him. “C’mon. Be my bride.” Viktor was close, so fucking close— “Please!”
Viktor growled, bucking and grinding back against him as Jayce’s knot swelled. Stuffed and plugged as Jayce came, thick ropes of cum safely deposited into Viktor’s pussy, pressed up against his womb. Viktor felt every muscle in his body go loose at the same time as Jayce collapsed on top of him, just catching himself in time. Viktor shuddered, tears falling from his eyes as he came again, twitching around Jayce. Jayce mewled, pathetic and desperate and hopeful. "You're . . . Oh." Viktor wasn’t imagining the dreamlike pleasure in his voice. "You're milking my knot."
The Alpha pressed a kiss to the beauty mark under Viktor’s eye, salt coating his lips. Then Jayce kissed him again and again and one more time, soft chaste things, the final one landing on Viktor’s lips.
They took their time learning to breathe again, gentle pulses of cum stuffing Viktor full, innocent and obscene. He shivered in silence, eyes slowly moving around the room before finally landed on the Alpha holding him. Jayce was still waiting for a response, hopeful as a puppy. Oh, fuck it. “Fine.” Rolling his eyes, Viktor added, “Like you have a choice.”
Jayce grinned and it was like sunlight, like a promise. Jayce kissed him again. Against everything life had taught him, Viktor’s heart surged. My Alpha. Mine, mine, mine forever . . .
Viktor kissed him back.