#nobody was ready for this to be addressed so soon; and it really isn't fair

[neganium]

What is even the point of advertising if no one is fucking biting?? This is only contributing to my stress. Admittedly this would not really change the situation much, nor improve things, but it would alleviate the crucial side-effect of this situation/the fallout. Things are horrible enough as they are, already.

[liron-ao3]

Beautiful consequences

"Shit!" Castiel curses, tears pricking his eyes. Two hundred bucks down the drain. Literally. He stares at the shards of his alpha cologne bottle in the washbasin. It was his last one, and he was just getting ready for work.

It's not that he can't afford to buy a new one, but these things aren't sold in your 24/7 corner shop. You only get them on the black market. Faking being an alpha is a criminal offence in this state. But Castiel has worked way too long and too hard for his position at Sandover to risk it with calling in sick on the final day of his big project that could mean rising another rung on the job ladder. Coming to work smelling like the omega that he is is an even worse option, though.

Sadly, Sandover has a no-scent-blocker policy. Why would anyone want to hide it anyway? They're all betas and alphas working there, right?

Wrong. But nobody knows that.

Castiel takes a deep breath. If his dealer can swing by in the next hour, he can still make it in time. So he pushes the dial button. The number you're calling isn't available at the moment. Please, try again later.

Just great. Dan either picks up the phone or wants an order via text. Castiel prays that he reads his message soon. Otherwise…

He has never let his dealer bring the stuff to his apartment, but he still needs to finish the presentation he has to deliver at ten. He needs to focus. And he's been buying from Dan for years now. He's a good guy. It's gonna be alright.

His phone pings with a new message. With you in 20.

Castiel stares at the display. "Fuck!" he curses loudly when he sees it's not his dealer, who answered, but Dean, his coworker.

'Ohgodohgodohgod. He'll eat me alive,' Castiel thinks. Dean is nice, but also ambitious. He could use this to discredit him. It's sad on so many levels. Dean is the best-smelling alpha Castiel has ever met. He smells so good that Castiel always needs nose plugs right before the one heat he needs to get through once every other year so that his body doesn't wreak havoc.

So many times he held himself back from throwing himself at him in pre-heat, managed to cover up the scent of his slick and the sweat working through his blocker and alpha cologne. All that effort is null and void now. His cover is blown. Dean can do everything with him now. Blackmail, coercion, and worse. Hell, he has his address now. He's on his way.

Maybe Castiel should just pack his bags and leave town. But then what? He's in his 30s. He's come so far. He can't go back to being a plongeur again. It's not his fault that he was born with this kind of plumbing. It's not fair that his ability to carry children makes him less of a person by law, less capable in the eyes of betas and alphas.

A knock at the door pulls him out of this state of shock. This can't have been twenty minutes!

When he opens the door, it is indeed Dean waiting on the other side. Castiel straightens to his full height. He's still a little smaller than Dean, but he hopes it can cover up the fear piercing through his scent blocker. He sweated too much. Just great.

"What do you want?" Castiel all but barks.

Dean chuckles. It doesn't sound unkind. "Can I come in?" Castiel purses his lips and nods with clenched jaws. It's better to discuss Dean's demands where no one can eavesdrop. Castiel steps aside and lets the alpha in, his hand curling around the barlow knife that he always wears in his trousers pocket. An omega is never fully safe. Castiel learnt that the hard way.

"Here," Dean says and pushes a brown paper bag into Castiel's free hand. "I think it's the same you're using. Dan can really be trusted with the consistent quality of his stuff.

Castiel's mouth falls open.

Dean smirks at him. "I had a hunch. You smelt very close to my brother, whom I get this stuff for. He's going to Stanford. California is way more progressive regarding omega rights, but it's still better when he uses it. Omegas often get worse grades. But he'll prove to everyone how smart omegas can be."

"You have an omega brother?"

Dean chuckles. "Yeah."

"And you get him alpha cologne from the black market?"

Dean's lips curl into a smile. "Yes. Since high school. I don't want him to get in trouble. If I get caught, it's just a minor offence, but for Sammy, it could mean jail, depending on where they catch him." Castiel nods. He knows that. "You get it delivered? Sounds risky, man."

Castiel snorts a laugh. "Usually, I pick it up. I dropped my last bottle. This is an emergency."

Dean furrows his brow. "Castiel, that's dangerous."

Castiel laughs without mirth. "As if I wouldn't know. I've been doing this for the last two decades, Dean." He looks at the paper bag in his hand. "Thank you. How much do I owe you?"

Dean's lips curl into a smile. "A date?" Castiel blinks at him. It does sound as if he could say no, the way it's laced with mirth.

"You wanna go out on a date with me?"

Dean swaggers closers. "I always wanted to. But I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I know that alpha/alpha relationships aren't that common, and I didn't want to blow your cover."

"And that changed now?"

Dean worries his lip between his teeth. "Your place smells amazing, man. Like…" He swallows hard.

"Home," Castiel whispers. Dean nods. Castiel's mouth curls into a close-lipped smile. "So do you."

Dean chuckles nervously. "Why did you never…?"

"You always seemed to be omegasexual and I could hardly… I couldn't have faked a knot, anyway. It was too risky. I didn't know that you were so progressive."

Dean nods in understanding. "I'm actually bi. Not out yet, but I wouldn't care if anyone would assume…"

Castiel laughs out loud. "So we could've dated all along."

Dean smirks at him. "We're two idiots."

"Two idiots with an important presentation to get to."

Dean laughs out loud, the sound curling warm around Castiel's heart. "And celebratory lunch afterwards that could be labelled a date. What do you say, omega?"

Goosebumps run over Castiel's skin at the soft-spoken endearment. He lets go of the knife in his pocket and closes the space between them. "You won't rat me out at work?" He asks carefully.

Dean brushes a hand through Castiel's hair and cups the back of his neck. "I pay to get my omega brother through law school so that he can change the system. I won't sing out my mate for trying his best to live the life and career he wants and deserves."

Castiel brushes his nose against Dean's. "My mate. Sounds good. But registering…"

"I don't care about that. I just want to be with my happy omega. That's all."

Castiel nods. "We can talk details later." He presses his lips against his mate's. Dean tastes as good as he smells. Castiel just hopes that Dean will think the same, later when he has showered after work and the blockers are off. But he has no doubt he will.

~~~~~

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