why buy decaf you knothead
Enjolras and Combeferre poured through the piles of paper and eventually came up with three possible matches; Jean Treville, Olivier d'Athos and Louis Bourbon. All three were seventeen year old boys that had been missing for over six years. They were pale and dark haired, with wide green eyes.
They were all reported as likely omegas.
Enjolras seemed to have been right, none of the boys had an 'R' in their name. There was a small problem in that a thing none of the boys had in common was a birthday; Treville's birthday was in early spring, d'Athos' was in late fall and Bourbon was born in the midst of winter, date unknown as he was found by a woman, abandoned in the heavy snow. This led to the minor problem, that either they had the wrong boys or R was lying to them.
Combeferre pushed his chair out from under his desk.
'Enj, we've been pouring over paperwork from these three kids all day, how about a coffee, and maybe some food, and we can come back later, refreshed?'
Enjolras grunted and waved Combeferre away, who left with a sigh and a promise to bring Enjolras an espresso and a pastry from the canteen.
***
Grantaire and Courfeyrac were sitting in a sort of contemplative silence. Grantaire was sitting under a blanket, nursing his third cup of coffee and his eleventh chocolate cookie. He'd been filling up on soggy, golden goodness dipped in milky drinks all morning. Despite his earlier protestations to decaf drinks, Courfeyrac sipped his steaming cup enthusiastically.
'Courfeyrac?' Grantaire asked slowly.
'R, please call me Fey or Feyrac if you want to. Goodness knows everyone else does.'
'Feyrac, what am I going to do for the next two weeks?' Grantaire asked the question gingerly.
'Ummmm-' Courfeyrac considered for a moment.
'Because I've never, I mean, I don't know how, cause I've never learnt or anything, like I don't think I, like that I know how to do, some stuff that I really don't know anything about, cause-'
'You've never learnt it, yeah, R. What haven't you learnt?'
Grantaire worried the edge of his blanket with his thin fingers. Courfeyrac pulled the thick fabric from the omega's fingers gently.
'What, R?'
Grantaire looked up quickly.
'I know that you don't think my alpha will hurt me.'
Courfeyrac's fingers reached to Grantaire's, whose own were scratching the quick around his nails.
'And apparently you have to teach me stuff.'
'Yeah, some stuff to help you when you move in with your alpha. Just some basics.'
Grantaire's toes curled, the only outward show of fear. The room was already full of fear scent, so if any more was released, no one noticed.
'Don't worry about it, R. It's simple stuff, you'll pick it up real fast.'
***
Enjolras sat in his office. Combeferre had made him keep these three files out of the 'not the gorgeous green-eyed omega' pile. Not that Combeferre had to know that was what the pile was called, or that the name of the pile had cycled through 'not the tiny omega'; 'not the dark-haired omega' and 'not the beautiful omega who should present himself on my desk'.
The last name had lasted about four seconds while Enjolras thought about R's lips on his alpha cock, and another eight while Enjolras thought about his own tongue opening the omega up, slick pouring out of R's open hole-
Enjolras knew the theory about why R was working him up. A few hundred years ago, chances of meeting your soulmate was much lower than today. Therefore, it was beneficial to reproductive rates if you could forget about your soulmate and knot another omega. It helped if they were pretty.
He guessed it was a throwback to that, that he was just an alpha compatible with many omegas. Especially when they were pretty.
He jumped slightly as Combeferre reappeared with two coffees and two croissants.
'Well, hello there, you studious alpha. How goes things with endless paperwork?' The older alpha grinned and sat down. Enjolras just shot him a look.
'I think my biology is screwing me over.'
Combeferre looked mildly concerned.
'Enj, this is just hormonal. A scared omega leaking fear scent like oil from an old car. Confusing your inner alpha. It's gonna fuck you up a little bit.'
A crack as Enjolras face-planted the desk in frustration.
'Damn that bloody omega.' He spoke softly, not really meaning the words.
'You mean, damn Jean Treville, Olivier d'Athos or Louis Bourbon. We have to figure it out now. C'mon, frustrated alpha.'
Enjolras made no move to change his position.
'Enjolras, maybe just stay a little further away from him for a little while. Keep your distance. You're still on the case, just be careful. It's gonna set him back if he thinks every alpha is trying to knot him.'
'I know,' came the muffled reply.
'Have I mentioned that my biology is screwing me over?'
'Yeah, yeah. We've all got problems, grumpy-pants. Now come on and give me a hand in helping this omega you're mooning over.'
Enjolras sat up at that.
'I am not mooning, you, you clotpole.'
Combeferre didn't even turn to look at Enjolras.
'Not a real word there, Enjolras.'
'Clotpole.' Enjolras joked.
The two alphas looked over any photos of the three case files. They all looked like they could be R. They resolved just to ask him later, as they really couldn't figure it out between them.
'This is the problem with having such a small department,' Ferre said. 'No one to bloody get stuff done.'
Enjolras agreed and promptly ate Combeferre's croissant, saying that he 'wouldn't be needing if they were going to see R.'
***
Grantaire was starting on his fourth cup of coffee, finally deciding to switch to decaf when the alphas knocked at the door.
'Who is it?' Courfeyrac sing-songed.
'Enjolras and Combeferre.'
Courfeyrac looked conspiratorially at R.
'Well, R, should we let them in?'
Grantaire nodded hastily, not wanting to make the alphas angry.
Enjolras and Combeferre padded in, both wrinkling their noses at the stale scent of omega distress. Combeferre sat down opposite Courfeyrac, and talked to the omegas.
'How about we air out the room a bit? And maybe get you some real food, Grantaire.'
R nodded, his inner omega trained on Enjolras who was standing awkwardly by the door.
'Sit down, Enj.' Courfeyrac said.
The blond alpha sat on the only chair left, the one opposite Grantaire. Combeferre seemed to notice how close the two were, but realised there was no way to subtly move Enjolras away from R.
Courfeyrac seemed to be itching to talk to Combeferre alone, but the alpha was reluctant to leave the two unbonded men alone.
'Ferre, can we talk?' Courfeyrac asked, pointing his head to the door. 'In private?'
The alpha felt torn for a moment, between his omega and his duty to make sure Enjolras didn't fuck up Grantaire by being too weird.
'Feyrac, later?'
Courfeyrac whined. 'Ferre, just a minute?'
'No, Courfeyrac.' Combeferre said firmly, the slight alpha voice punctuating the sentence.
Enjolras noticed Grantaire's flinch at Ferre's alpha voice and tensed automatically at the omega's response.
'Should we go get some food, Ferre?' Asked Enjolras, trying to diffuse the tension.
'Sounds good.' Said Courfyrac cooly. 'Come on, R, the food's great here.'
Grantaire unraveled himself from his blanket clumsily, stumbling as he tried to get up from the low sofa. Enjolras consciously restrained himself from reaching out to grab R.
The first omega strode out of the door, the second following more uncertainly. Courfeyrac tried to simmer down to keep R calm, but he couldn't help a little splinter of frustration that needled him. He slowed a little, and the younger omega matched his pace.
Enjolras and Combeferre looked at each other before following the omegas.
Grantaire could heard whispers of their conversation.
'Why'd you eat my croissant, Enj?'
'To teach you to leave it lying around. There's more pastries in the canteen.'
Their voices lowered.
'Hormones... Alpha voice... Bloody biology... Scent blockers... Suppressants?'
R's steps faltered a little, but Courfeyrac's hand curled around his own and tugged him on through the building.
The scents were strong. As well as stale alpha and omega smells, the clinical aroma of disinfectant was tangible in the air. The room was quiet, pretty much devoid of anyone except the serving staff and a few tired people eating.
Sunlight was streaming in through large windows, lending a strangely comforting feel to the big canteen. The large space made Grantaire feel a little uncomfortable, and his legs tensed.
Enjolras could feel the omega tension rolling off R.
Courfeyrac and Grantaire walked up to the food counter.
'Okay, R. This is hot food, and there's cold stuff like sandwiches over there. Is there any food you don't like?'
Grantaire, once close enough to the food to smell it, was completely overtaken by his internal hunger. He walked on autopilot towards the food line, Courfeyrac grinning a little.
The omega took a plate and walked towards the food-
Grantaire sighed and put the plate back.
'R, you don't need to worry, it's ok for you to eat the food.' Courfeyrac pressed against his side comfortingly.
R's voice was monotonous; 'I haven't got any money, Feyrac.'
Courfeyrac loaded up a plate and passed it to R.
'Eat up, R. We've got you for another two weeks, and we'll feed you up now.'
R took the plate gratefully, passing on what would have been his fourth coffee, and instead choosing some kind of sweet juice.
The alphas picked up some light food, and sensing Courfeyrac's cold shoulder, sat and talked amongst themselves. Both not noticing the other, the two omegas eyed the alphas.
Courfeyrac watched Combeferre, a hint of sadness in his demeanour. Grantaire watched Enjolras, the green eyed omega wondering why the alpha unsettled him so much.
Little did Grantaire know, the alphas conversation was mundane and all Enjolras could smell was Grantaire's scent.
Grantaire picked at his leftover food. He had quickly eaten his fill, and was poking suspiciously something that looked like solidified vomit.
'It's stuffing, R, with walnuts. Really good, you should try it.'
'With what?' Grantaire asked.
Courfeyrac stifled a smile, knowing that it was more sad than funny that the omega didn't know what walnuts were.
'Just try it, R. It's pretty good.'
Grantaire pondered the stuffing for a moment and then wolfed it down.
He grinned.
'Pretty good, Feyrac.'
The older omega looked around to see if the alphas were done, but they were still poking at their food.
'R, what do you want to do about-' Courfeyrac looked around, R was gone.
'R!' Enjolras shouted.
The omega had fallen from his seat and was lying on the floor.
Courfeyrac tumbled to the floor, frantically trying to check the omega, who seemed to be unconscious.
Enjolras ran around the table, and pushed Courfeyrac away roughly.
The prostrate omega was wheezing, but unresponsive.
'R? R? Can you hear me?' Enjolras slapped Grantaire's cheeks lightly, but nothing happened.