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Dennis is a beta in a world where most people are either omegas or alphas.
The ED is a god damn mess of pheromones and everyone is supposed to go for monthly check ups to make sure their pheromones are well regulated, and the hospital issues free suppressants for the staff. But people get too busy, they forget, they don't want to, they prefer their own ways.
So omegas going into preheats do affect the alphas around them. Alphas can get aggressive around each other and go a little crazy for attractive omegas.
Dennis would go for pheromone check ups like a good boy, but he doesn't need to. He would remember to take those free suppressants, but his body doesn't require them.
He has come to realise navigating a stressful workplace as a beta is often difficult because everyone wants you to take their side, and also, can you cover for them while they're off during heat leave? It's like smokers getting smoke breaks but non-smokers get jack shit. Dennis would also like to take leave to have crazy sex like it's his god given right.
Omega residents flutter their eyelashes at alphas or talk a little sweet on the phone and suddenly there IS in fact a spot in radiology that opened up just now. How about that? People assume alphas can automatically take on long high pressure surgeries because they're physically stronger. Dennis doesn't know what that has anything to do with standing for hours with a pair of steady hands.
Omegas are creaming themselves over strong dominant alphas, alphas are pouring out thick spicy scents to mark their territory over sweet smelling omegas. Dennis has no idea what those scents smell like, he just read it from books.
He's never sure whether a person is alpha, beta or omega, since he can't smell pheromones. He either waits for someone to tell him directly, or rely on basic stereotypes. Mostly, he doesn't really care if someone is an omega or alpha, just please god don't ask Dennis to cover for any more of your shifts. He already has to take most of the irregular pheromone cases because none of it affects him biologically. He doesn't want his beta status to impact his case type or his workload.
Then there are people like Dr Abbot, where both omegas and alphas want him so badly, they're sending out signals that even Dennis can perceive. Every time Abbot stops to talk to him, he can feel eyes on him from every direction in the ED.
He supposes Abbot is very attractive for an alpha. Other than being physically attractive, muscular figure filling out his scrubs nicely, silver grey hair and a little scruff, he's also rather calm and in control for an alpha. He's so good at keeping his alpha instincts in check that people let him take on sensitive omega cases.
Dennis thought that's against protocols, but there's always an exception to the rule.
Then Abbot seems to take a liking to him when he has to cover two whole weeks of nights because Ellis has to spend Trinity's heat with her, and Henderson has his rut coming up right after that.
He and Dr Abbot develop an easy rapport, which Dennis never expected, since he usually doesn't get along that well with alphas. He's mostly stuck with beta and omega friends growing up. Dennis doesn't like the dudebro vibe that a lot of alphas carry, the way they talk about spending heats with pretty omegas, or how they seem to have a need to constantly prove their alpha status to others.
Abbot doesn't do any of that though. He'll let anyone make fun of him and give it as good as he gets. His masculinity doesn't have an aggressive edge to it. Dennis readily accepts his invitation to go for breakfast after their shift and it becomes a thing they do every morning. One day over a bacon and mushroom omelette, Dennis recalls the animals he grew up with on the farm and how he misses being around them. Abbot tells him about his three cats at home and that Dennis is free to come over to meet them whenever.
Dennis' eyes light up and says he'd love to.
That's how he finds himself in Abbot's house after breakfast.
Two hours later, Dennis is lying on the couch, with Mint on his chest and Bean on his lap, and he's getting really sleepy. Abbot comes over with a smirk and tells him to just take a nap, he shouldn't deprive his cats of the company.
When he wakes up, it's 5pm and there's a very comfortable blanket pulled snugly around him. Abbot looks up from where he's prepping food on the kitchen counter and tells him to go take a shower, food will be ready in twenty minutes.
After dinner, Abbot drives them to work. Dennis is still wearing his clothes from yesterday.
The entire day, people are giving Dennis odd looks, if not downright glares. When he catches Shen looking at him bemusedly, he finally decides to ask.
"Oh, everyone on nights is quite possessive of Jack. And it's very rare for him to take anyone home."
Only then Dennis realises he must be covered in Jack's alpha scent, having slept on his couch, wrapped around his duvet, used his shower and came to work in his car.
"It's not like that at all! I just went over to play with his cats."
Shen raises an eyebrow, his smirk wrapped around the orange straw. "Whatever you say, buddy."
That's so absurd. Dennis doesn't have that much experience with dating, but he knows he's not attracted to alphas. The handful of people he's been with have been betas or omegas. He can't fathom wanting to lay underneath a growling alpha, being pounded into aggressively.
Dennis shudders. Absolutely no way. Even if that alpha is Dr Abbot.
Then it's shift change and Trinity's jaw hits the ground when she sees him.
She slaps him on the shoulder, "Holy shit, Huckleberry. I didn't know you moved like that! Going to work drenched in omega scent? I can't imagine what you smelled like at the beginning of your shift."
There's a mischievous glint to her eyes. Good to see her up and about with so much energy after her heat. But also, what?
"Omega?" Dennis asks weakly.
The world suddenly tilts towards one direction and he can't find his balance.
"Yeah, you don't know the secondary gender of the person you slept with last night?" Trinity asks incredulously.
"I didn't sleep with anyone," is all he can say.
"Sure." Trinity agrees convincingly and leaves him be.
As he packs up at the lockers, he's still lost in thought.
"What's got you all twisted up, Whitaker?"
"Dr Abbot is an omega?" Dennis says out loud before he can catch himself.
Robby laughs. Laughs. "Wow, Jack's magic isn't limited to just his pheromones and omega charm if he's got a beta like you all hung up on him."
"No, no! I-" Dennis denies automatically. "It's not that at all. I just assumed he was an alpha this whole time."
"Yeah well, I guess people do unless they get up close to him. Jack's scent is quite...delicious if I say so myself."
Dennis’ hand pauses in the air, not believing what he's hearing.
Robby shrugs when he catches Dennis' look. "We fooled around. I've known him for so long, it's kind of inevitable."
Dennis doesn't think it's inevitable at all, actually. His grip on his backpack tightens.
Robby looks Dennis up and down and smirks. “Have a good day, Whitaker.”
Dennis watches Robby disappear into the ED, his mind unhelpfully supplying the image of Abbot taking Robby’s knot and enjoying it. He feels out of breath suddenly.
Abbot is waiting for him outside when he walks out into the street, autumn air hitting his skin, the fresh cool air clearing his mind. But it becomes muddled again immediately when Abbot walks towards him with an easy smile.
“Where we headed to, then? Same place?”
Dennis nods, unable to think.
Abbot is an omega. He has a sweet omega scent that everyone is attracted to. Robby has slept with him. Maybe many alphas have slept with him. Abbot takes knots. Abbot prefers to be the one laying on the bed getting aggressively fucked into. Dennis is half hard and he’s trying every breathing exercise he’s ever come across to make sure he doesn’t look like a red tomato when he slides into the booth opposite Abbot.
Abbot carries most of the conversation. Dennis is trying extremely hard to focus and he only half succeeds, giving generic responses to everything Abbot throws at him.
Does it mean anything? Every time Abbot’s leg knocks against his under the table? Every time he bumps his shoulder against Dennis when they make fun of each other? Abbot winks at him whenever something funny occurs in the ED and they’re too far apart to say anything to each other?
Probably not. Night shift loves winking. And those are just friendly touches. Dennis is a beta, he can’t compete with all the alphas who want Abbot anyway. He definitely can’t compete with Robby. Abbot needs a knot to be satisfied, he needs a mating bite. This is why none of his relationships with omegas ever worked out. They fundamentally need something Dennis cannot provide.
Dennis always assumes he’ll find another beta like himself or die alone. It’s something he’s made peace with a long time ago. There are many ways to live a fulfilling life other than finding a mate. Mates aren’t a thing for betas anyway. His life doesn’t revolve around romance and sex. He has hobbies, his job takes up most of his time. Abbot loves taking knots. Abbot moaning. Abbot begging to be entered, to be filled. Everyone wants him.
Everything was going so well at the start of his shift and now Dennis is having an existential crisis, over an omega. God, this was never supposed to happen to him.
When they leave the diner, Dennis walks Abbot to his car. Abbot stands in front of him and tilts his head over to the passenger seat.
“Wanna come over again?”
Abbot needs knots. And Dennis needs to get his mind out of this stupid gutter and move on. He needs Dr Abbot under him, even if just once. But he isn’t what Abbot needs. He doesn’t need an omega to feel like his life is complete. He’s a beta. He doesn’t need anything.
Dennis shakes his head. “No, I don’t need to.”
Fuck, what did he just say?
Abbot looks at him with raised brows. “No, you don’t need to. Would you like to?”
Dennis cannot smell scents and he’s not affected by pheromones, but the thought of Abbot on the bed, presenting himself to Dennis, is giving him a glimpse into what being an alpha might feel like. No wonder they’re so annoying about fucking omegas. Dear god, Dennis is gonna pass out.
Abbot isn’t interested. Abbot, the most attractive omega in the ED, the most attractive omega Dennis has ever seen in his life, is not interested in little ol’ Dennis. Beta Dennis. Scentless, knotless, fangless. A white sheet.
Abbot takes a step forward, into Dennis’ personal space and taps him on his collar bone, right above his heart.
“Is this thing on?” He leans in, miming speaking into a mic.
Abbot is in fact so charming, it physically hurts.
“I…” Dennis looks up at Abbot’s hazel eyes, gentle and amused.
He’s not thinking about sex at all. Only Dennis is. A dirty little beta who thinks he can claim an omega for himself, even just once. Abbot, a wonderful attending, a wonderful teacher. A wonderful person.
“I’m just a beta.” Dennis says quietly. Abbot probably only hears it because he’s already leaning in so close.
“And what’s that got to do with anything?” It’s a statement. A rather warm one, the smile on Abbot’s lips lingering on the words.
Dennis shakes his head, defeated. “Nothing.”
Abbot hums thoughtfully. “Seems like you’re finally picking up what I’m putting down, but coming to all the wrong conclusions.”
Dennis looks at him with a frown. But Abbot backs him up against his car, until Dennis’ back hits the door.
“Are you thinking about how you can’t be with me because you’re a beta?”
Dennis holds his breath for a few seconds, not believing how easy he is to read, apparently. And not believing Abbot is addressing it directly, right here, right now. He nods, short and not able to look Abbot in the eyes.
“Well, I can’t comment on other omegas. But for me personally, I’m far too old to deal with alphas and all their posturing again. I don’t enjoy their need to mark their claim and show it off. I don’t think it’s attractive when they get jealous and possessive just because I touched another alpha. I might have in my youth, but that’s not something I look for anymore.”
He leans in close to Dennis’ ear and whispers. “And if a knot is what you’re worried about, I have plenty of toys we can work with.” He places a hand on the car next to Dennis’ head, “there are silicon knots you can slip on at the base of your cock.” He slides his other hand up Dennis’ inner thigh, so close to Dennis’ crotch but not touching it. Dennis’ whole body shivers at the touch. The back of his head hits metal.
“And I love it when my partners eat me out.” He looks up at Dennis from underneath his lashes, “Do you think you can do that?”
Dennis nods so forcefully he feels dizzy. Though he may be feeling dizzy from other things too.
“Then do we still have a problem?”
Dennis shakes his head rapidly.
“What is your answer to coming over to my place?”
“Yes, yes I want to.” The answer gushes out of Dennis, desperate. Young and eager.
Abbot pushes himself back up and away from Dennis with a confident smirk. “I thought so.”
Two hours later, Dennis is slumped over Abbot breathing heavily, Abbot playing with his hair in lazy strokes. “I think my heat is coming in two days. I’d like you to submit five days of companion heat leave.”
Oh my god, it’s finally happening to him. His HR portal is going to have a new option under leave reasons.
“And tell Robby you’re my heat partner from now on.”
Christ, can his life get any better???????
Dennis holds Abbot tightly and kisses his excitement along Abbot’s chest, up to his face and lips.
“Let me run you a bath.” He perks up and suggests with a wide grin.
Abbot lifts his chin with a finger, smiling at the adoring look on Dennis’ face.
“Good boy.”
End.