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The world was cruel. Such was a fact Aventurine had picked-up throughout his experiences in life. But, no. Aventurine was not moping around about his childhood. He was too busy pathetically mourning the fact that his beloved doc was an omega!
Now don’t get it twisted, there is nothing wrong with Ratio being an omega- he himself was one, the real problem was with society itself. Two omegas being together was genuinely frowned upon- because of biology or whatever, he was grieving a relationship that never was. Even if he himself would be fine being in a relationship with another omega, what were the chances Ratio was willing?
Aventurine had to admit, the man was good at hiding his secondary gender, amazing even.
Except. That seemed to only be the case around Aventurine. His first visit to the Intelligentsia guild proved that he was the only one around there who was left in the dark.
This all happened a week after the Penacony mission, Aventurine was invited to the doctors work place for afternoon tea, their ‘date’ was postponed due to unforeseen circumstances earlier in the week- which Aventurine had come to realise now- was Ratios heat.
On their walk to Ratios office there were a lot of stares, Aventurine first believed they were directed towards him. However everyone's eyes were glued to Ratio, in comparison Aventurines presence seemed insignificant; nobody really looked his way. Sure, his outfit was less flamboyant than usual, but was he really that plain in comparison to Ratio?!
Okay, he’d have to agree there. Ratio stood out so much that it was although a golden glow radiated off of him. One that matched the brightest star in the galaxy.
Aventurine should have just driven, they were stopped about every meter by professors and students alike, asking if Ratio was feeling better or if he was returning to classes this week. Now that had his thoughts spiralling- was the doctor alright? Had he seriously injured himself? Was Ratio dying?
In all of his years knowing Ratio. He rarely missed a day off- only in dire circumstances- so it was strange everyone was showing him so much concern.
The steps came to a halt, by the time they had finally reached their destination, lunch had long since passed. Ratio moved to unlock his door but the door pushed open itself like a special force had pulled it from the other side. From beside, Aventurine heard his frustrated sigh.
Now, if the Aventurine of the future had told his past self what he would see in that office, he would have laughed in his face. As the light switch was flicked, gifts of plenty were revealed, on Ratios table, desk, chair and even his shelves.
This was all a bit excessive. Did Ratio stop the destruction of the guild or something?
“Wow, doc, you sure are popular, aren’t you? What ever did you do to be graced with such gifts?”
“Is this not to be expected? I was certain that as another young, attractive and unmarked omega, you too would relate?” Ratio slipped out, uncharacteristically speaking without even thinking about his word choice.
There was a lot to unpack in that sentence alone, but Aventurine was too focussed on the word ‘another’, it could only mean one thing.
So, instead of brushing it off like a normal person and thinking about it for the rest of the night from the comfort of his home. Aventurine blurted out, “Ratio, you’re an omega ?!”
“Ah…”
Silence filled the room, it was so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop. Horror flashed on Ratios face as he realised his mistake, although it didn’t take long for him to wear a neutral expression.
“If I recall our past encounters, I never said I wasn’t one, did I?”
No but you’ve clearly tried to hide it! Are the words Aventurine controls himself enough not to say. Now was the perfect time to end the conversation- move onto the next subject and act like the jaw-dropping piece of information was no big deal.
Instead, Aventurine pressed on, digging a bigger hole for himself. “You must have a long line of suitors then, you could open up a shop with all this stuff alone.”
Aventurine had a sour taste in his mouth admitting that- of course Ratio would be popular no matter what he was, but to think he could accept a gift from any of these alphas, Aventurine started to feel frustrated.
For crying out loud, one of the gifts on his desk was a limited edition- he could buy Ratio ten of them if he wanted. This stuff wasn’t a simple gratitude present, it had hidden intentions. Intentions that Aventurine wasn’t amused by.
“I do not know if you are similar to me but I don’t wish to give people false hope, these…offerings are either returned to the sender or donated.”
Okay, he could work with that, Ratio hadn’t accepted any of these gifts. There was still the faintest of hope for him, maybe.
“Funny of you to assume that anyone out there has actually wanted to court me. I mean, there’s way better options than me.” Aventurine said, his tone and face unbothered. It was a sneaky trick to signal to Ratio that he was open to attempts, a little guilt trip worked on him the last time.
Not that anything he said was a lie, since he first presented, nobody had taken any romantic or lustful interest in him. As a slave he was seen as too dirty. Then was the hot iron, turning his scent putrid and weak, as soon as Alphas sensed his pheromones, they distanced themselves. Fate had more in store for him, by the time he’d successfully joined the IPC, his health conditions and trauma reduced him to infertility, it could’ve easily been prevented if someone had taught him how to care for his omega needs when he was younger.
As a result he was unable to carry any children, undesirable for alphas.
To most- a tragic tale. To him, relief washed over at the news- at least, he couldn’t be controlled or used when it came to his secondary gender. Unfortunately now, he could do nothing but hope these factors didn’t chase away his beloved Ratio.
Before he could reply- there was a knock at the door- shifting their focus from the previous discussion.
“That must be the food I ordered, please, take a seat, wherever you can find a space.” Ratio turned towards his door as he moved towards the low table, a soft rug was placed underneath it for comfort. Aventurine decided to clear the table for the both of them.
One item he removed was a deluxe chess set! They knew Ratio too well because the Doc was eyeing up this exact one. Aventurine made the executive decision to keep this gift to himself, he couldn’t have the Doc being seduced by something he could, again, buy the doctor multiple of.
Ratio didn’t tell him what he ordered but Aventurine was the type who could eat anything, he patiently waited, sitting crossed-legged by the table. It didn’t take long for Ratio to join him with a takeaway bag and seemingly hot beverage.
The air was tense from their previous conversation, none of them were willing to bring it up again. Ratio slid the drink towards him and started to unpack the bag.
“This is from a popular cafe on the campus I recently discovered, they have a delectable range of sandwiches and a satisfactory drinks menu. Apologies, I did not have the opportunity to make my own today.” Ratio handed him a delicately wrapped sandwich, the smell was sweet.
“Sorry you had to result to that, if you want I can pay-”
“ Gambler, I would not have invited you over just to make you pay. Do not offer again.” Ratio interrupted, silencing him.
Aventurine decided to tuck into his meal, lest he gets on the nerves of Ratio any more today. Inside were strawberries and blueberries, an amber-like spread binding everything together. The first bite took him aback, the fruits bursting with flavour in his mouth, it was delicious, sickly sweet, yes, but that was the charm behind it.
What he didn’t expect was for the mystery ingredient to be honey, it wasn’t something he often ate but it was nice every once in a while. Aventurine normally only tended to enjoy treats nearer to his heat but this was an exception. In contrast, his coffee was bitter, giving him a nice balance of flavours.
Across the table, Ratio chuckled, a small smile plastered on his face. He tried to cover it up by taking a bite of his own sandwich. Giving Aventurine a ‘what is it?’ look.
“Y’know, Doc, I didn’t think you were the type who liked to eat honey.” Aventurine had finished his sandwich by now, licking the mess around his mouth.
“What type of person must I be to indulge in a certain food? Though, you’re not completely wrong- I didn’t used to fancy it but recently I have found myself enjoying the taste. I soon found myself using honey scented products in my bath as well.” Ratio avoided eye-contact for some strange reason.
“Anyways, gambler, take the last one to go. I insist.” This time Aventurine didn’t fight back. Lunch was uneventful after that, he left early as Ratio had to catch up on all of his missed work.
That evening, Aventurine scrolled through hundreds of online discussions about Ratio. Not once did he stumble upon a thread or article mentioning Ratios omega status. For a group that boasted sharing knowledge, they sure had no problem keeping this information to themselves.
As Aventurine munched on his last sandwich, he finally understood the sentiment that ‘food would taste better with loved one’. This one couldn’t compare to the one he’d eaten with the doctor for lunch. He really did love Ratio, today had made him aware that other people were seriously pursuing his doctor.
Determination welled up within Aventurine's body. The solution was simple: he would have to outdo all the alphas. Aventurine would get the biggest, grandest and most expensive gift he could find for his beloved doctor.
The puzzling question remained. What gift would Ratio like? He could always get him new sculpting tools, a bath- even a whole apartment in the central district of Pier Point, but would Ratio like that?
If he had to guess then it would be a no. Ratio seemed to dislike Aventurine spoiling him. Why did he have to fall for such a difficult guy? If he were anyone else, Aventurine would have showered him in riches by now.
Only one other male omega existed within the Stonehearts, Sapphire. A man who has never spoken to him, he was as cold as ice- which means he can’t ask his opinion or he'll be directed that icy glare. If he did have to give Sapphire something- it would without a doubt be therapy sessions. If Aventurine ever dared to gift Ratio something like that, he’d be lucky to see the next day.
Tomorrow he would be going out with Topaz to the commercial street, he could always ask her for advice. Topaz was the closest thing he had to a friend within the IPC, which meant she was the one who had to listen to all of his problems.
On a week day like this, the shopping street was quieter than usual. It was a crowd that wouldn’t drown his voice out whenever he spoke to Topaz.
“Topaz, I need you to respond to my next question with utmost honesty.”
“I hope you think very carefully about the next words leaving your mouth.” She was ready to hear him out albeit slightly fearful of what he would ask.
“Hypothetically speaking- if you were going to court me, what would you do to impress me?” Aventurine could see the exact second her face scrunched up in disgust.
Despite being an Alpha, Topaz had never really felt like one to Aventurine, she never used it to her advantage and had always treated him as an equal. She was kind. Her pheromones were pleasant to be around. Even if they butted heads every once and a while, he appreciated her.
“In what context would you possibly need to know this?”
“I just need some ideas, alright?”
His words made Topaz’s jaw drop. Waiting for him to tell her it was just a joke.
“ You- you are seriously trying to ask someone out?! Alpha or beta?” Topaz was starting to become invested in his love life.
“Neither..”
“Wait, so you aren’t head over heels from that Veritas Ratio guy? Huh, guess my intuition was wrong.”
Was it that obvious that even Topaz had picked up on his crush?
“He’s the one I'm talking about.”
“Of course, who else…” She paused, eyes wide. “Wait, he was an omega?!”
“Right? He fooled me too!”
By now they had gathered attention, it was to be expected when their conversation was so loud. Those just trying to get their weekly food shop gave the deadliest look. They headed into a quiet corner so they could cool their heads.
Topaz huddled close, making sure her voice couldn’t be heard by outsiders. “You have to get him something he likes, that way he’ll know you pay attention to every detail.”
Something Ratio likes… he could do that. To start, the man liked books, bathing and sculpting. Bathing in particular was one of his favourite pastimes, most of the time he would reply to his texts late because he was too busy washing up.
“How about a custom bathtub?” Aventurine suggested, only to be met with a groan from Topaz. He was slightly offended, it was a perfectly reasonable gift.
“Look, you know him better than me but in my honest opinion, you should start with something small, something meaningful.” Topaz backed away, her work phone was starting to ring. “If you look around here I’m sure you’ll find something.”
Aventurine parted ways with Topaz as she was called to deal with a problem, now he could focus on getting a gift. There was a large variety of stock but nothing that screamed Ratio. A long time ago he had bought the man sculpting tools, however they were currently hidden beneath his bed.
Something small and meaningful, he repeated in his mind.
Pearl had once told him that souvenir shops were full of trinkets and cute items, he supposed he could give it a shot. As expected, the place was full of tourists and employees alike.
When he scanned the shelves, only one item caught his eye, a single rubber duck. Multi-coloured- to match the buildings that erected from the ground at Pier Point. Ordinarily designed on this planet but certainly unique on any other.
Something small and meaningful.
Ratio was a fan of rubber ducks. Everyone knew, yet, hesitated to bring it up in front of the man himself. It would be a good, lighthearted gift. A hint of something greater to come, like… A custom bathtub!
If Topaz were here, she would have knocked some sense into him- physically and figuratively.
Aventurine picked the little duck up, giving it a squeeze. It sounded to be in good condition, a healthy squeak. The paint was neat, as though painted by a professional rather than being mass produced- only the best quality for his Ratio.
With his new purchase, he made his way to the Business Consolidation Department. They now offered an express delivery service to any executives of the IPC. Sure, it was for urgent matters, but to him this was very important. If he was ever caught he could easily convince them it was for work related business.
Few knew of Ratio’s private address so when asked if he would like to add a personal message, he decided against it. Definitely for that reason, not because he internally cringed at every message he could send that formed in his mind.
After a wave of regret crashed into him, he may or may not have walked back in ten minutes later asking if he could cancel the delivery. To his dismay, it had already been sent. When he had heard the service was fast he didn’t know this fast!
That night he mulled over his thoughts. How could he send Ratio something so cheap and tacky?! That duck was heading straight back to his doorstep. Deep down he knew though, if he didn't risk it, then there was no chance he could progress their relationship.
Fortunately, his work schedule was going to be so busy that he would have no choice but to stop worrying and focus on his job. Due to his indefinite break, piles upon piles of work awaited his return. Diamond would give him time off whenever his heat hit, so long as he met his quota. It would just mean he would suffer some late nights and early mornings.
His first mission was with Pearl, they journeyed to Oceton to deal with Intellitron implants. The mission overall was uneventful, during a quiet spell when Pearl was busy negotiating with the Intellitron leaders, he explored the city.
Aventurine discovered another souvenir shop, inside, there was a similar rubber duck. Unlike the one in Pier Point, this one was ocean themed, resembling his coworker slightly.
What was one more duck? Aventurine purchased it and stowed away for when he returned to Pier Point. At least until then, he would have something to remind him of the Doctor in his absence.
As soon as he returned, he was sent to Taikiyan with Sapphire, not his intended destination but for safety reasons he was sent instead of Topaz. She was nearing her rut so the IPC sent him to prevent any accidents. Although- Topaz knew the affairs of the planet best- it would’ve been better to send her and another Alpha or Beta employee.
Unlike him, Sapphire was more into sports and was actually given a briefing about their goal, so Aventurine walked around the merchandise stalls while Sapphire dealt with the serious stuff. Since he was mostly there as a witness, there was less responsibility on his shoulders.
Most of the stalls were selling items in support of different teams he didn’t know about, the contrasting colours stood out.
Something else caught his eye. Another. Rubber. Duck. Was Aventurine being haunted by these things? He was starting to believe it. This time, it was Roboball themed, he hoped Ratio wanted a Taikiyan souvenir because one would be on his way soon.
On the jet back he was finally given a one- on- one moment with his fellow omega male that he didn’t get to talk to often. A question danced on his tongue, one he would have asked Ratio if he had the guts to, he was so terrified of rejection that he wouldn’t dare mutter it. If he ever ruined the relationship between him and the doctor, he wouldn’t have an easy time getting over it.
“Sapphire?” Aventurine addressed, trying to sound as formal as possible.
“Hmm?” Answered Sapphire, he was a man of few words.
“If another omega confessed to you, would you feel disgusted?”
“Not interested.” Aventurine knew Sapphire's behavior by now, he probably thought he was confessing. Not in a thousand amber eras would he ever confess to this man!
“In general! I meant in general, friend, we both know you and I aren't on the greatest terms.”
“Well, what does it matter? At the end of the day- everyone can be struck down by my sword.” Sapphire replied before putting in some earplugs, signalling his disinterest in continuing the conversation.
Huh, he had a twisted, morbid view on the whole subject but in a way it did make sense. Everyone loves as equally as they all eventually die. It didn’t matter who, or what they were. Ratio was someone who believed in equal opportunities himself, if someone like Sapphire saw nothing wrong with it- then there’s no way Ratio could. Still, doubt clouded in his mind.
As expected, every single planet he visited, he did not come back alone, nestled in his luggage was a special rubber duck themed after every planet. Aventurine doesn’t know what possessed him to buy them but he couldn’t stop.
By his tenth duck, the Business Consolidation department employee knew exactly where to send the parcel. She seemed unnamused to see him, probably far suspecting by now that he was just abusing the service. Aventurine wasn’t bothered, after all, that was his last mission before getting time off for his heat. Whatever complaints she had were not his problem.
It felt good to finally be going home, his changeovers were so sudden he had no choice but to sleep over in the rooms provided for staff at headquarters. Thanks to his packed schedule, he also wasn’t able to keep in touch with Ratio
He wasn’t alone in his struggles, Ratio too, was swamped with work as the Intelligentsia Guild were finishing up their exam period. Ah, he really wanted to see Ratio. Unless his luck chose to fail him, then he would be seeing the man very soon.
When he finally got to his apartment, a package had been abandoned outside, he didn’t recall ordering anything. Gently, he picked it up and made his way inside his apartment. Using the scissors, he carefully cut open the seal, only for a bundle of blue to come spilling out.
But he couldn’t focus on that, all he could focus on was the scent infiltrating his nose. It smelled just like the most beautiful roses, roses that were even sweeter than the kind knight of beauty often carried around. Mixed within was the aroma of a hot spring, as though he was dipping his head beneath one in the mountains.
Normally this would be considered rude to do, but it's just what he needed right now. Pheromones, not just any but Ratios . They were better than he could ever imagine, it might just be his new favourite smell.
Ratios' scarf lay there in all its glory, he brought it closer to his nose as if he could absorb it, there was something so pleasant about it.
Heats were always unbearable- he would much rather suffer through them than sleep with someone random, he couldn’t stand the thought of showing people his vulnerable side, especially those who sought to abuse their power over him. At least this time, the scent of roses was there to shield him. To make him feel safe.
Aventurine hoped that next time, he could be next to the real person and not just one of his possessions. He held the scarf close to his chest, only letting go once his heat completely subsided. Even if the scent had long since been overshadowed by his own, he couldn’t dare let go.
Not even a week later, he found himself at Ratio’s doorstep- a bunch of roses within his arms. It had been months since he had last seen Ratio. It’d be a lie if he said he wasn’t excited- laid awake all night anticipating today.
Ratio had sent something back, so that had to mean he accepted, right?
When Ratio opened the door, his appearance was disheveled; it looked like he’d just gotten out of bed. That familiar smell started to leak from behind the door. Preheat, that had to be what Ratio was going through.
“Why, hello Doc! Looking as handsome as always.” Aventurine greeted, smiling wide. When he extended his hand, Ratio graciously accepted the flowers.
“Excuse the mess, I was in the midst of cleaning up.” Ratio moved to the side, gesturing for him to enter.
His living room was clean. In fact it was so spotless that it could’ve been a brand new apartment. Seriously, if Ratio thought this was messy, he would have a heart attack if he stepped in his home.
Aventurine's eyes scanned across the room, expecting to see a duck or two, however there was nothing except an absurd amount of statues. Maybe he should have bought sculpting tools instead.
Before Aventurine could sit down, Ratio gripped his arm. “Let's not talk here. Follow me.”
Ratio led him to a door, behind that was one of the largest bathrooms Aventurine had ever seen in his whole life. Open and bright with a fountain like water feature. What really grabbed Aventurines attention, was the army of rubber ducks lined across one of Ratios windowsill.
Most were bought by Aventurine, while others were new. That didn’t matter because at least Ratio had accepted his gifts. Accepted him.
The doctor moved towards him, closing the distance. He held Aventurine's face between his hands. The touch was warm like his home planet, comforting like his sisters hold.
“ Gambler - Aventurine. Would you like to be my mate, my omega? In return, I will be yours. These gifts- truthfully, I didn't need them to fall for you. However I found myself excited to see which one you would send next.” One of his fingers gave his cheek a light rub.
From this view, Ratios eyes were filled with adoration, kind eyes looked down upon him. That gaze staring deep into his soul- to reassure him- tell him that there was no need to worry.
It was all so sudden, of course he wanted to scream yes. All he had dreamed of lately could be his.
But Aventurine hated himself more than he loved Ratio. So how could he be certain that Ratio would love him enough to bury that hatred. He turned his head towards the marble floor, not wanting to meet the others' eyes.
“Are you sure? I mean, I’m just a lowly defective omega. I can’t bear kin, my stench is revolting and I can’t provide you with the same fulfilment an Alpha would.”
Ratio forced his head up. His eyes filled with fury. Oh, he messed up. He had angered Ratio, was it his infertility giving him second thoughts?
“Aventurine. None of that is true. Please, do not think of yourself in that way. If I had to seek out Ruan Mei to find a way to remove our secondary genders just so I could prove that to you. Then I would without hesitation. In the bigger picture, your secondary gender means so little.”
He couldn’t argue against that, not with how determined Ratio was. Even willing to ask the help of someone who he had conflicting ideologies of- he was a previous victim of Ratios rants about Ruan Mei, although some had ended in great praise.
One more question, he had one more question. If his secondary gender was so insignificant then, why?
“Why did you hide the fact you were an Omega from me?”
“For the same reason you were so wary to be with me.” Ratio's eyes had softened, a sad smile forming on his lips.
“Don’t worry Doc! I don’t care what you are- in fact being an omega is even better. We can relate to each other.” It was so easy to tell others words he would never trust if he repeated them to himself.
“We’ll work on that,” Ratio sighed, seeing right through him. “So, for now, will you stay by me during my next cycle?”
An Omega asking to spend a heat cycle with someone was one of the most intimate things they could do. That person would see their most vulnerable state, would be the one who had to meet all their needs.
It looked like he would have to phone in sick to work, he’ll blame it on a prolonged cycle.
“I ran a bath earlier, would you like to join me? Sometimes I find myself in there for longer than necessary.” Ratio suggested, pointing at his large bathtub. It would be good to get a closer look at it, so he knows how to renovate it- Ratio just doesn’t know about that yet.
Aventurine had an inkling as to why Ratio takes so long in the bath, he was too busy reading . Aventurine sat behind him, so his chest was against the Doctor's back and his arms perfectly slotted around Ratio's body. From this angle, the man's scent glands were perfectly exposed.
He used this opportunity to bury his face into Ratios' nape, Aventurine wanted to ingrain the doctor's scent into his mind. That way he’ll always be able to recall that beautiful floral spring sensation. Ratio had accepted him, even leaning back slightly so Aventurine could access them without hassle.
This was all he could ever want right now, he didn’t care if they simply enjoyed each other's presence throughout Ratio's heat. He was simply happy to be next to Ratio at such a time, to know the other trusted him.
Words from earlier flashed through his mind, there was something he wanted to know that not one person had ever told him.
“Veritas?”
“Too soon,” he coughed, flustered, closing the book and placing it on the edge of the bathtub.
“What do I smell like? I’ve only ever been able to sense a burning stench coming from me, I can’t imagine that being very comforting for you.”
“You aren’t far off, sometimes you do radiate a charcoal-like scent. However if you can get past that, then I can always catch on to the delightful fragrance of honey. When that scent first registered in my mind, nothing I had ever caught the scent of could compare.” Ratio was honest.
Everything made sense now, how ironic, the Avgin smelling like honey. He was glad now- that everyone avoided him for his scent, because it led him to Ratio, maybe they really were destined.
“Mm, I still think yours is the nicest.”
The water was only lukewarm now but Aventurine couldn’t bring himself to leave.
“That reminds me, Aventurine?”
“What's up?” Hopefully nothing serious.
“The last time you visited my office- did you happen to move an expensive chess set? It was a collaboration gift from Screwllum, I'm worried I lost it.”
Screwllum, a familiar name. Now Aventurine remembered. His biggest rival had never been any alpha, it had been that Intellitron from the Genius Society. Aventurines protective instincts were kicking in as his omega neared his heat.
“Who needs a set like that? I can buy you an even bigger and better one.” He said in all seriousness.
Ratio was silent- until he couldn’t control himself anymore, a low laugh sounded throughout the bathroom. “I'm not pulling your leg, you have to return it. If you do, I’ll let you buy me as many rubber-ducks as you wish, buy me one from every planet in the universe if you so must.”
Aventurine didn’t reply, simply tightening his arms around Ratio. Aeons what did he do to deserve such a perfect man? As Ratio continued to nag at him to return the set, Aventurine listened to none of it. Like he said, he would return an even more luxurious one. If Ratio believes it is from Screwllum or not, that was none of his concern.