Chapter Text
CHARLIE
Charlie was not having an easy day. While he woke up from a horrid spell of fitful sleep, surprisingly on time, everything else about his morning seemed to be going wrong. His uniform trousers were still damp in the pockets from yesterday's wash. The shirt he had painstakingly gotten out of his cosy blanket cocoon last night before bed to get “ahead for the day” and iron, had a hole in the underarm, leaving him with a wrinkled alternative. Olly had clearly used the last of the toothpaste to paint the sink causing Charlie to resort to using a mouthwash toothbrush hybrid cleaning, and for the longest time, he could only find one sock. Once he finally made it downstairs, he found himself being berated before breakfast by his mother causing him to need to run to his bus to make it in time for school.
When he stepped outside, of his house, he noticed the heat was stifling for such a random day in February. It seemed to be affecting everything it touched. No birds were chirping, no chipper neighbours commenting on how they planned on basking in the light warmth on their faces. Just sticky heat causing an ungodly sheen of sweat to cover his body as he runs to the bus stop.
After that row with Mum and now this, I feel like I should’ve just stayed in bed today.
His Spanish class was across the quad and even further away was his locker, but if he showed up both late and without his materials he was sure to get in trouble.
I still have time to make it to class if I just sprint–
“Fuck.”
“Ow,” Charlie whines as he looks up at the wall he just ran into. Fuck is right. It’s Rugby King Nicholas Nelson. Trying to quickly gather his books before Nick and his rugby friends surely teach him a lesson, Charlie mumbles his apologies and runs off toward Spanish class.
I’ve been late a lot lately but hopefully, he won’t notice if I just sneak in the back.
“Señor Spring, you’re late.” There goes that logic. “That’s the third time this week,” Mr. Sanchez reprimands him as he rushes to his assigned seat.
“Sorry Mis–Señor Sanchez. It won’t happen–”
“Save it Spring, you have lunchtime detention. It’s being held in the Art room today. I expect you to use your detention to think of how best to use your time more efficiently, understood?”
Huffing a concur, Charlie hurriedly gets out today's worksheet from the unsorted mess on his desk.
Thankfully for Charlie, there were almost no more issues in First Block, but to say it was without incident would be lying. Usually, during group exercises, Charlie tends to just team up with Sierra or Bailey, two girls he met while doing last year’s drama club production of “Oklahoma”, rotating between the two. However, when they were both busy he figured he would be working by himself. Before he could make it back to his desk though, he had two guys, Chad and Adam, whom he had never talked to before approach him, and then proceed to argue over who could be his partner in the pronunciation practice.
This is all really strange.
Second Block wasn’t any better. Honestly, Charlie decided it must be the heat, there’s no other explanation. Maybe a full moon, Charlie laughingly thinks. If only that myth were real. Everyone’s energy was off like any small thing could ignite the flame and everyone would be at war.
Or maybe I’m just being dramatic.
At first glance, everything in Second Block had seemed to be normal. Charlie arrived on time for once, scooting his way toward the table he shared with his two best friends, Tao and Isaac. Isaac was a fellow Beta like Charlie, but Tao was an Alpha. Alphas aren’t as rare as Betas, but having one in their friend group really came in handy. It stopped almost all of the bullying that plagued their various group, as no one wanted to be confronted by Tao. It also helped explain Tao’s over-protectiveness, which bordered on obsessive. Charlie never really minded before as he always chalked it up to Tao’s passion for anything in his life. Treating his friends the same way he treats his films so to speak, but it was nice to have a more solid understanding.
Tao was unofficially mated to their Omega friend Elle who went to the girls’ school. Elle wanted to be out of Secondary before they marked each other, so Tao was always seen wearing his mated bracelet while Elle donned a matching mated collar.
Isaac, however, like most Betas, had better things to worry about than finding a partner to spend their days with, finding more romance in his books than in real life. Charlie always felt a little on the outside of most Beta circles, since he longed for a mated relationship. It’s not like it’s uncommon for betas to be mated or even fall in love. It was just seemingly less romantic than the stories he heard about Alphas and Omegas being drawn to their mates so intensely that nothing and no one could get between them. Charlie longed for someone to want him.
“You doing okay, Charlie?” Tao grabs at Charlie’s wrist pulling him out of his recurring daydream of an Alpha coming to his locker to confess his undying love for him. This time playing the role of Alpha is Rugby King Nick Nelson who is the straightest person on the planet, but of course, running into his brick wall of a chest this morning stayed with Charlie a lot longer than he would like to admit.
“Huh uhh yeah sorry. Just zoned out for a moment,” Charlie explained.
“Something seems off about you. Did you eat today? Are you feeling okay? Should we take you to the nurse?” The questions leave Tao’s mouth in such a rapid-fire that doesn’t give Charlie any chance to actually respond.
“Misters Xu, Spring, and Henderson please face the front and stop distracting the rest of the class with your loud whispers,” Mr. Lange calls to them.
“Yeah, faggot stop flirting your way up the food chain,” some random year 12 mutters under his breath toward Charlie. While the worst of the bullying has stopped, an occasional arsehole will try and rile Charlie up or ruin his day with a well-placed slur, but today Charlie’s blaming everything on the ridiculously stuffy weather and just rolls his eyes before fully facing the front of the class. That’s where Charlie thought it had ended. No response was the best response, but apparently, Tao didn’t get that memo.
He was up and across the classroom before Charlie, Isaac, or Mr. Lange could even register what was happening.
Picking the guy up by his buttoned shirt, Tao growls in his face, “What-did-you-say-you-walking-cum-stain?”
“Woah, mate, I was joking. It was just banter!” The arsehat states trying to bat Tao’s hands away from him, but it only irritates Tao more.
“If you think you can just talk to my friend like that I–”
“TAO XU PUT HIM DOWN BEFORE YOU ARE EXPELLED!” Mr Lange orders. The word expelled sends a shiver down Charlie’s spine. He’s never seen Tao get this mad over something so trivial. Yeah, it was shit being called names, but it beats being beaten to a bloody pulp any day. “Tao please,” Charlie begs. He can’t lose his best friend.
It seems Charlie’s nervous voice cut through the red haze and Tao’s grip loosens on the twat’s shirt. “Something’s not right,” Tao mutters cocking his head to the side to acknowledge the teacher for the first time. “I–I need Elle,” he exclaims.
“We only allow official mates during crisis Mr. Xu you know that. If you are having an issue you need to step outside for a moment to compose yourself, but I’m sorry you still gained a Saturday detention for your outburst.”
“Buut Mr. Lange, Aaron used a slur!” Isaac speaks up. Aaron that was the dicknozzle’s name.
“Is that true Mr. Carver? Did you use a slur in my class?” Mr Lange now sounded as though he may also grab Aaron the arsehole’s shirt.
“I was only joking. It–tt was a joke. I didn’t mean it. Sssorry, Charlie,” he stutters looking over at Charlie with pleading eyes. Normally, justice being served would be glorious but Charlie was feeling scared and just wanted the whole incident behind him. He never wanted to cause Tao this stress again. Guilt was quickly shutting down his brain and he was feeling abnormally shaky.
“It’s umm okay, Ayden . Tao didn’t mean it either,” Charlie supplies on Tao’s behalf. “Right, Tao?”
Tao releases one more low growl before placing Aaron back into his desk, rather roughly. “Yeah, right.”
Mister Lange seems to be mollified by the semi-peace treaty being established. “Mr. Carver for your choice of words you will be spending Saturday in detention, and while I understand being in defense of a friend Mr. Xu, you however crossed the line and broke school rules by putting your hands on another student. Since I can’t put you two together in Saturday detention without the threat of a repeat of this behaviour, I have no choice but to let you spend lunch in detention today. I think it is being held in the Art department.”
Charlie and Isaac guide Tao back to their shared desk while keeping an eye on Aaron so it doesn’t escalate again unexpectedly. Turning to face the class and away from them, Mr. Lange calls the rest of the class to order again.
Charlie could’ve been discovering new galaxies and nothing would’ve distracted his mind from replaying the insane events of today. He played them over and over until the bell rang for lunch.
“I also have detention, so sorry Isaac you’re on your own today. Tao I’ve got lunch in my locker so I’ll meet you in Mr. Ajayi’s room, okay?”
Distressed Tao asks, “You don’t want me to walk with you?” while Isaac reassures them an extra library shift will be just fine with him.
“No, I’m–I am good to walk myself, Tao. We will see each other soon. Just go…get your lunch. I’ll meet you in there. Not that we can talk or anything.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Tao huffs stalking off to the canteen to grab lunch.
Charlie reaches his locker not long after Tao finally disappears into the crowd of students. He loves Tao but his Alpha hormones were an easy way to raise everyone's blood pressure. In fact, Charlie could feel a strong headache coming on and he couldn’t be sure it wasn’t because of Tao’s outburst. He might only be a Beta, but that was a small room with a lot of pheromones rushing around.
At least he wasn’t passionately ranting about the cinematic differences between the way The Hobbit was filmed compared to The Lord of the Rings again. That headache lasted all night.
If Charlie was being honest, he also had to attribute the headache to not eating breakfast. He had to stay accountable if he wanted to stay on the right path, that’s what Geoff always said. ‘If you want to change you have to acknowledge all the ways your brain says not to, and prove it wrong’. So with that in mind, Charlie headed off to the Art hall with ways to fight the resistance his brain was coming up to not finish both sides. He knew he needed and deserved the calories, especially since he skipped breakfast. Skipping meals is a slippery slope and pushing through to eat both sides would help combat that. This detention would be helpful in at least one way, Charlie thought. No distractions to help him ‘forget’ his meal. The problem was even away from Tao his headache was worsening, and now his stomach was flopping. He definitely shouldn’t feel this bad yet for missing a meal either.
Am I coming down with the flu? It has been going around the past few weeks, and of course, I would get it on the most random hot day of the season. OR wait. Maybe that’s why it feels so warm. Have I been getting sick since this morning??
Before Charlie can contemplate any further a sharp pain shoots through his abdomen causing him to double over in pain. Soon it subsides, but not before he settles on notifying Geoff. He knows people get sick, he gets sick, it’s natural, but they have plans in place for Charlie to still get the calories he needs without trying to hold down multiple meals a day.
Keeping myself accountable. I can do this.
Another pain shoots through him as he presses send, allowing his brain to accept that he is in fact not faking/not being dramatic and that he can deal with his food when he feels better.
Finally, he makes it to Mr. Ajayi’s door.
Maybe they will send me home instead of making me finish detention today.
Looking around Charlie doesn’t see Mr. Ajayi or any other teacher for that matter as he throws himself into the closest open chair, slinging his lunch box onto the tabletop. Laying his head down on the cool table, Charlie doesn’t notice if anyone else is in detention with him yet, but he is accosted with intense scents. Scents so strong they quickly cause his head to spin, his body to start sweating again, and he’s pretty sure if he even attempts to move right now he will chunder all over the Second Block’s Winter projects.
Just breathe Charlie, as soon as the teacher sees you they can’t deny how sick you look. They will notify Dad and you can get home. Home where your nice bed and comfy duvet are. How nice will it be to curl up in your blanket? Just breathe. Soon. No puking only breathing. If you make it through this detention and get home without tossing your cookies you can reward yourself with not just the duvet but also your backup. Oh yes, two duvets to make an impenetrable cave. A nice warm nest. Yes! Nest that’s only for you! Just have to get there.
You can do this Charlie.
“CHARLIE! OH GOD ARE YOU OKAY?!” He hears Tao practically scream across the room.
Oh, owe. Shut up, Tao.
“I’m sorry Charlie,” Oop, I said that out loud. “I shouldn’t have yelled, but you don’t look good. What can I do? Who should I call? The teacher should be in here soon, I’ll carry you to the nurse. Oh god, Charlie what happened? You were just fine in last block.”
Charlie’s never felt uncomfortable around Tao before but he’s doing the smothering thing and with the sickness and the heat of the day he’s feeling way too overwhelmed.
As if his thoughts are on display on the whiteboard, a hero comes to save him from Tao being Tao.
“He’s clearly not feeling well, you need to back off before your hormones make it worse!” The knight says confidently causing Charlie’s heart to swoop in a way that has nothing to do with the flu.
“Thank you, sweet stranger,” Charlie murmurs putting his head back down on the table.
“Anytime Charlie.” The angel laughs. The angel knows my name.
“I’m only stepping away because my friend wants me to, not because some rugby barbarian thinks he can boss me around,” Tao growls through clenched teeth. Feeling enraged that Nick tried to control him, Tao starts stalking toward Nick.
“I wasn’t telling you what to do!! I was simply pointing out that you were probably making him worse” Nick gestures toward Charlie but Tao doesn’t take his eyes off his target. “Being that close to him, forcing out sickeningly strong pheromones just like you are doing now!!”
Charlie wanted to get between them, wanted to tell Tao to cool it, but he just couldn’t think straight. That’s when he feels a hand press lightly on his shoulder.
An overpowering lemon scent fills Charlie’s nostrils, reminding him of his Mum’s floor cleaner, but it perks him up enough to look at whoever is touching him. Harry Greene? Why is he comforting me?
“You smell so sweet, Charlie. Like a gooey Chelsea bun. Are you going to be my little after-lunch treat?” Harry coos at Charlie, rubbing his shoulder more aggressively. “You don’t look like you feel good baby, I could make you feel so much better.”
“Hmm?” Charlie feels so out of it, but the words coming out of Harry’s mouth sound kinda nice. He wants so badly for someone to take care of him. Cuddles would be good right now.
“Mmmokay” Charlie mumbles feeling entranced by the overwhelming scent surrounding him.
Feeling Harry’s large hands caress his shoulders feels so nice that Charlie leans into Harry hoping it will cause his body to feel better too. The more he turns into Harry’s touch the more his body is practically screaming to give Harry whatever he asks, even though his brain knows something about that feels wrong. Just as he’s about to let Harry enter his space and nuzzle against his neck the way his whole body is buzzing for, he hears a deep visceral growl erupt from across the room.
“What the–” Charlie groans being knocked from the trance enough to push Harry away from his marking spot and clear his head of lysol-scented fog.
NICK
“GET AWAY FROM HIM HARRY!” Nick bellows.
Baring his teeth, Harry growls, “I smelled him first get your own Omega, Nelson!”
Coming in between Harry and Charlie, Nick flashes his teeth as well before declaring, “He’s not yours! You don’t own him! He’s a person, not a plaything!”
Nick processes what Harry just said about Charlie. He is obviously telling the truth, all Alphas can smell Omegas. Though this is the first time Nick has noticed Charlie’s scent, he smells heavenly like the most decadent dessert. It’s making Nick’s mouth water and all of his blood rush south making it a really difficult time to hold any thoughts in his head. Well, any thought besides ‘MATE HIM, MATE HIM NOW. RIP THE THROAT OUT OF ANYONE WHO STANDS IN YOUR WAY AND MATE HIM!’
“Oh fuck, I think you’re going into heat, Charlie.” Knowing most Omegas do distance learning around the time their heat is due, is enough worry to override Nick’s more carnal thoughts. “Did something trigger it early??”
Charlie stumbles over his words as Nick pulls Charlie into his body, caging him in and away from Harry’s grip saying “I’m a beta, I don’t get heats.” He hears Charlie practically purring against his chest as he subconsciously pets at Charlie’s curls to give the Omega a calming secure space.
Give him everything. His brain supplies, while his whole body fights to surrender to the beautiful Omega in his arms. Mate him. Mark him. Make him yours.
Shaking off those thoughts to try and focus through the omega's pheromone haze, Nick knows they are not alone.
Nick as calmly as possible breaks the news to Charlie. “Charlie, I can smell you. You must've presented late. But Charlie,” Nick looks around the room feeling both sets of Alpha eyes on him being in the way of Charlie. “We have to get you the fuck out of here or the entire unmated alpha population of this school is going to break down this door and try to get to you.”
CHARLIE
Charlie looks over at Tao, who has a similar look on his face as Nick like he’s fighting a war on the inside. Then looks at Harry who has a look of hunger in his eyes.
He is not safe here. “Oh Fuck.”