Chapter Text
Gary
*
Just like that, Efnisien's heat was over. The next day Gary smelled it in the air, a clearing in Efnisien's scent. It turned fainter and became steely, less open. Efnisien's temperature settled to its baseline, he seemed clear-eyed and alert over breakfast. It should have brought a feeling of relief with it, but instead Gary felt odd about not having as many excuses to be close to him. He still needed to be close, that much was clear, physical contact genuinely helped Efnisien no matter what state he was in, but it was going to be harder justifying getting fingers into his mouth or making Efnisien straddle him.
Efnisien progressed to solid food easily. He didn't complain about pain - though he never would - and the scent of those horrid cramps cleared from the house.
There were other changes too. Efnisien didn't call Polly to him, but sometimes he dropped his hand down and let her sniff it, like he was daring himself and daring her in the process. It was endearing, because it obviously took some courage from the boy, and some restraint from Polly, who clearly wanted to lick him all over but had somehow picked up some cues from Efnisien, given his previous reticence to touch her at all. Their relationship with each other was careful, and Polly seemed extremely pleased whenever she managed to steal some attention from him. She always came to Gary afterwards and shoved her head against his thigh or arm or hand as if to say: See? See? Look what I did!
Gary left Efnisien to some reading - he'd wanted to get started on some of the educational modules acquired for him - and went outside, walking to his office for the first time in a while. He refused to knock on his own office door, even though Temsen was currently occupying it. His nostrils flared as he checked if there were any new clients or scents lingering. But there was nothing today except for Faber's and Temsen's pheromones, which meant he could be rude.
He opened the door, and Temsen didn't even look away from the screen, fingers flying rapidly over the keyboard.
'I hate your job,' Temsen said. Today he wore a white turtleneck knitted jumper, which only emphasised the broadness of his shoulders. 'You need at least one other personal assistant.'
'I think his heat is over,' Gary said. He left all the retorts and verbal parries at the door. It was tempting, but he knew his job was hard, and Temsen was doing him a huge favour. 'I didn't expect it to happen so quickly.'
'It didn't happen quickly at all,' Temsen said grimly, fingers slowing. He turned and faced Gary, frowning.
'It happened quickly once I got saliva into him,' Gary said.
'I'm concerned his heats may escalate. We'll have to keep an eye on it, anyway. At least we know the saliva worked, and we can look at how to implement that across the board with new omegas in certain partnerships.'
'Absolutely. It's less obviously invasive than other methods, though it's still...quite invasive.'
'I think most omegas will have an easier time with it than Efnisien,' Temsen said, smiling. 'They aren't warring with alpha instincts, for a start. That internal push-pull must be quite something! I have to admit, I'm doing a remarkable job of restraining myself around him.'
'You want the case study, don't you?'
'Goodness me, yes,' Temsen said. 'It can wait. Has he realised your role in the prolonging of his misery yet?'
'Yes,' Gary said. He was tempted to walk around to the side of the desk where Temsen sat, his side of the desk, but he resisted. 'We had a talk about a few different things.'
'That as much as anything might have put the lid on that heat,' Temsen said soberly. 'Of course the pheromones helped, but genuine closeness is in more than pheromones, Gary, and you know it. Have you talked to him about James?'
'No,' Gary said. Temsen looked disappointed, Gary scowled. 'And I won't. However, because the little goblin is determined to find out whatever he can about it, can you please make sure Faber gets Efnisien a phone in the next few days? I'd like it so he can't make outgoing calls, but other than that, give him his access.'
'He's smart enough to make outgoing calls if he wants to,' Temsen said, sighing. 'But of course. I'm sure you know my opinion about all of this.'
'Not everything happens on your timeline, Temsen.'
'Some things don't happen at all,' Temsen grumbled. 'You have to talk to someone about it.'
'Yes, of course,' Gary said witheringly. 'So why not the incredibly vulnerable medical experiment? Hm? A perfect target for well over a decade of grief, don't you think?'
Temsen opened his mouth, eyes sparking up with rage, the golden patch in his brown irises looking like it was flaring. But abruptly he closed his mouth and stared at Gary levelly. Gary could smell grassy pheromones in the air, and his own scent too, woody and tannic. They were far readier to fight than usual. 'Do not pretend - not to me - that you're doing this for his welfare. Not after you spent days neglecting him to the point of agony.'
Gary's teeth ground together. He and Temsen glared at each other for a little too long, and the tension ramped. Gary wasn't in the mood for this, and Temsen clearly wasn't either, because normally he was an expert at de-escalation.
A quick business-like knock on the door - Faber's knock, Gary would know it anywhere - and Faber stepped into the room and then blanched. He placed a hand over his mouth, and Gary stepped back from Temsen automatically, even as Temsen turned back to the computer screen.
'I seem to have interrupted something,' Faber said hoarsely, and Gary opened his mouth, but it was Temsen who talked across him.
'What is it, Faber?'
'Ah,' Faber said, looking nervously between them. Gary felt some sympathy for the man, given his loyalty was primarily to Gary, and Temsen was his boss right now, and the air wasn't exactly thick with pheromones, but it didn't need to be to crush anyone who wasn't a peak alpha. What Temsen and Gary found easy to withstand was too much for most, and Gary knew his assistant was struggling. 'I- I- ...Yes. Well. That's... I wanted to say that we've arranged a date for Denis Deschamps to meet with Lucien Beaumont and Caleb, Sirs. Sir.'
Faber looked a desperate apology to Gary. Then he closed the door quickly, leaving them both in the room, Faber no doubt rushing to get some air.
'Oh dear,' Temsen said. 'Should one of us go find him?'
'No,' Gary said. 'If he gets overwhelmed like that, he needs time to himself. He doesn't like to be seen at all when he's vulnerable.'
'A strong flight instinct then,' Temsen said. 'He's been ever so helpful. I'm not even really trying to get my pheromones spiked, are you?'
'No,' Gary said.
'He is sensitive,' Temsen said, scratching at a neatly maintained hairline. 'We've both been far worse than that, haven't we?'
'Yes,' Gary said, rubbing at his face. He walked into the main part of the room, closer to the comfortable chairs he used for supervision. He missed this office. Both the comfortable one he'd had in the cottage before Efnisien destroyed it, and the one Temsen was using here.
'I am sorry,' Temsen said with his formal forthright way of speaking. Gary hadn't expected the apology at all. 'I've had to put Efnisien first as my patient quite a few times over the last few days, but it leaves you neglected, and I don't mean the PACS, Gary. I...am doing a terrible job of being sympathetic to your circumstances. It would be easier, I think, if your actions didn't have a direct impact on Efnisien’s welfare. It’s hard to think when he’s in agony.'
'I know.'
'I keep thinking about the pain he's grown accustomed to. I'm... And on another matter, I think I'm in the strange position of realising an alpha who's that vulnerable has a kind of appeal, if I'm being honest. I think I might see you as a rival.'
Gary lifted his eyebrows to indicate what he thought of that, and Temsen laughed.
'It's not a serious rivalry,' Temsen said. Gary didn’t think it was, or he’d be unable to be relaxed about it. 'I don't want him, he's too much work. But I'm pleased to have identified why I've been in such a strange state. I think it started off as protectiveness and became that thread of: 'Here's an alpha not doing a good enough job with him, I know I'd do better.' Realistically, I'm not sure I would. I'm not as kind as you are, for a start.'
'Kind?'
'I would have fucked him as soon as I knew he was in heat,' Temsen said, smiling slowly. 'Which would have been a nightmare, given the surgery he needed for a start. You're far kinder than I am, Gary, for all that you're a small-minded, petty tyrant, when it comes to your grief.'
'Fair enough.'
'Goodness, but I am sorry. You're cast adrift all the time on this, aren't you? Well. Now's not the time to talk about it, but perhaps some other time? Will you still consider me when you need someone to talk to? Or have I inadvertently spoiled it?'
'I don't know yet, Temsen,' Gary said. 'I have to admit you weren't a person I seriously considered over the last week. Especially after the surgeries.'
'Right. Right.' Temsen's eyes widened. 'Gary, I hadn't considered the reminders...'
'Leave it. I'm just pleased his heat seems to be over.'
'You know the right thing to do in the meantime is to push for more of a bond,' Temsen said gently. 'So that the next heat is easier on the both of you? But none of this is easy for you, is it?'
'You're doing a remarkably good job of chasing me out of your office,' Gary said, walking towards the door.
'Then tell me where your power is,' Temsen said. 'Have you found any?'
Gary thought of Efnisien laying back against him the day before, mouth open around Gary's fingers and idly suckling as he'd fallen asleep. The way his spine shuddered, the feeling of Efnisien's hands around his wrist like he wanted to pull him away, even though he never did. He thought about how exultant he'd felt in that moment, coaxing Efnisien into sleep after several days of them not seeing eye-to-eye, Efnisien refusing to ask for what he needed, Gary refusing to give it to him. Gary had to give him hardly anything, and Efnisien melted. It was a damning sign of everything he'd never been given in his life, but it still made Gary feel like he'd won.
'I'd like to find my power somewhere else for a change,' Gary said heavily, hand on the doorknob. 'That's the problem.'
He left before Temsen could reply, and stopped once he was in the hall, nostrils flaring on the scent of Faber's discomfort and borderline fear. Ah, he'd have to do some damage control with Faber at some point as well. Still, after all that, it felt good to get out of his cottage.
*
It was a miracle Efnisien didn't seem upset when he returned. He looked up from where he'd been making notes in a pad, the tablet on next to him. Gary could see he was studying an education module.
'I've reminded Temsen to chase up getting a phone for you within the next few days,' Gary said.
Efnisien's expression was warily hopeful, and Gary thought about Temsen saying he was kind, Efnisien saying he was nice, and Gary still painfully aware they had Efnisien trapped here, and he should have always had the freedom of a smartphone in the first place. He sighed and walked over to the coffee machine.
'Was it...nice to go out?' Efnisien said.
'It was, actually. Temsen's working hard. I'm not exactly upset he's taken on some large responsibilities right now. And you? Are you wanting to go out?'
'I don't know,' Efnisien said, but Gary thought that was answer enough. If Efnisien wasn't directly saying 'no' to something, he wanted to do it.
'Maybe later this afternoon? What do you think? Beach or forest? Or we could go for a drive?'
Efnisien pushed back into the chair at the mention of a drive, a hint of fear clouded the air. 'Maybe the...beach,' Efnisien said.
'Of course. I've been thinking... How did you feel about Enris when you first met him?'
'The nurse?'
'Mmhm.'
'He was okay? I mean I hated him because I hated...everyone, but he was...' Efnisien's forehead scrunched up. Gary wanted to walk over and smooth the lines with his thumbs and thought about what it meant to need a locus of power, and the resentment that came when he realised Efnisien was it, at least right now. 'I think in retrospect, I could tell he was trying really hard. He was like- He was maybe a little condescending? But I don't think it was on purpose.'
'No, it wouldn't have been. Enris is very genuine. But he did believe you were an omega, and sometimes they respond well to a particular tone of voice which is...comforting and reassuring, but also somewhat firm? It might have felt like he was patronising you.'
'Yeah,' Efnisien said. 'Why?'
'Eventually it would be good for you to meet some more people and learn how to...be around them. I've mentioned Enris before. He'd be susceptible to your alpha persuasions though.'
'I mean he's susceptible to yours too,' Efnisien said, looking unimpressed.
'Yes, but I've never used mine in a murder attempt,' Gary said, staring back. Efnisien's cheeks pinked, he looked away after a couple of seconds. 'Kadek will be coming back soon, you know that don't you?'
Efnisien paled, and Gary leaned back against the counter.
'He'll want to see you. He's not the kind of person to guilt-trip someone, Efnisien. Unless it's theatrically, as a joke. He understands why you did what you did. He understood it better than I did in the beginning, far earlier than I did.'
'He could still press charges,' Efnisien whispered.
'No, once he had the measure of you, it wasn't a possibility. Do you think you'll apologise to him?'
'I can't see him,' Efnisien said. 'I've never- That's not... You all thought I was a criminal for ages. Like- Like you wouldn't try and do the same thing if you weren't drugged and taken to an omega rehab centre and knew what was coming next. Like you'd be any better, right?' Efnisien looked at him desperately, eyes begging.
Gary's first thought was: That would never happen to me, it's simply absurd to even imagine. But it was an attempt to escape the discomfort of what Efnisien was saying. His next thought was: We don't do that here anyway. Which was true. They didn't forcefully rape any omegas that came through their program. Hillview wasn't about breaking anyone. But their website was deliberately vague on that so they could still attract prospective alpha clients who didn't understand what they were doing, and almost no other omega rehab facility was like them.
'You're right,' Gary said softly.
Efnisien said nothing for a long time as Gary poured his espresso. Today, Lachlan was dropping off lunch, so he didn't have to worry about that. He came and sat at the table, bringing a glass of water for Efnisien.
'It's a system that works for omegas, but it is a manipulative system,' Gary said.
'What do you mean?'
'Well... All right, so in most cases, omegas go straight to their companion alpha after a brief meeting where Enris or one of the other beta nurses is present. But in uncertain cases like yours, where you were dropped off and drugged, we put omegas in a frightening situation deliberately - the holding room - so their first encounter is with someone like Enris, who offers safety and comfort. Most omegas respond to that. The very next person they meet is their alpha, who knows to provide comfort and security. No fucking, nothing like that, but blankets, items of comfort, a soft voice. Omegas have an instinct to bond when they're afraid, even when they're afraid of the people they're around.'
Efnisien stared at him, horrified. Gary thought it was interesting, the way Efnisien hated omegas most of the time, but was clearly capable of feeling horror on their behalf. At some point, he'd have to dive deeper on how much omega identity Efnisien had internalised over the years. It was too threatening to him to do it now, but it was there nonetheless. That family had mutilated him into being an alpha, but they'd still treated him like an omega so often that...Efnisien had to be aware that his fate mirrored an omega's fate.
'That's...' Efnisien started, then looked away. 'Why can't you just tell them what's happening?'
'We do,' Gary said. 'We explain that they're at Hillview, we explain why they're there, who their alpha will be, and what to expect. I'm sure Kadek didn't tell you he was going to rape you, for example.'
'No...' Efnisien breathed. 'He...'
Efnisien's eyes moved quickly, as they sometimes did when he was thinking something through or remembering something unpleasant.
'There were blankets and... soft things in the room. And he was... using a calming voice. But then he wanted me to breathe with him, at the same time as him. And then- And- He used alpha persuasion to tell me to calm down, and I snapped.'
Gary wondered why he'd never asked for the full story before now. All of these things were such an obvious disaster in retrospect for someone like Efnisien.
'I couldn't be calm,' Efnisien said, his fingers grasping the table. 'And I'd- I was already- I already knew I had to get out of there. I thought it was a test.'
'A test?'
'I had to prove...that I could be strong enough to go h-home,' Efnisien said, staring at the table. 'That was all I had to- And maybe if I'd figured out a way...'
Efnisien looked up at Gary, something desolate in those blue eyes. Gary was sure he heard the exact sentence Efnisien meant to say, even as he got up and stormed down the corridor, slamming Gary's bedroom door behind him:
Maybe I wouldn't have needed to go through any of this.
Gary stared at his espresso for a long time, then downed it at once, understanding why Temsen had forgotten to stay by Gary's side throughout this whole debacle, understanding why Temsen put Efnisien’s welfare first. No doubt he would have done the same, in a different position.