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“T-Tony, man, can I tell you something? Straight talk?”

I tried to focus on Darcy, but one of us was swaying so badly that I was struggling to see straight. “If you’re about to tell me you’re hammered, don’t bother.”

“I’m being serious,” she grumbled indignantly, swatting my chest and nearly falling flat on her face.

I grinned, a little smug.

“Man, I’m being serious!”

“Sorry. Yeah, yeah o’course, straight talk. Go ahead.”

“Tony, buddy, I’m sorry I have to say this, but you, you stink.”

Well, she wasn’t wrong. Still, rude.

I shrugged. “You get used to it after the first six months or so.”

“Seriously dude, you need a shower.”

“Jesus, ok, I get it,” I said, gently nudging her shoulder. I debated for a few seconds, considering. “You got a shower?”

“Of course,” she said brightly.

“In your room?”

“Yeah.”

“Does anyone come to your room?”

“Just other omegas. No betas or alphas allowed!”

I nodded, considering. In all honesty, a shower sounded amazing. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt clean. I was already caught, and eventually, someone was going to claim me. Was it worth being as filthy as possible just to try and make the process unpleasant for them? It was more likely that someone would strap me down and forcibly wash me eventually anyway. The people around me were clean, all the fucked up things they were clearly up to hidden beneath a thin veneer of civility.

Better to do it now, under my own terms.

“Yeah, ok,” I said, shrugging. “But you’ll stay in the room with me, yeah?”

“‘Course,” she said, standing up with a wobble. “As long as I can peek.”

“Obviously,” I said, getting up with marginally more grace. I shook my head in self disgust. “I used to handle my drink way better than this.”

“Just - just means you’re a cheap date,” she snickered, grabbing my wrist and tugging me into her little bathroom. “You get undressed, I’ll handle the shower.”

I pulled off the various rags entomobing my body, watching with no small amount of amusement as Darcy managed to turn on the shower, lose her balance and tip under the spray.

“Son of a bitch!”

“You ok?” I snorted.

“Yup, yup I’m ok. Geez, waters freezing - my nips could cut glass. Give it a minute.”

I saluted, continuing to strip until I was down to my underwear. I realised Darcy was unashamedly watching me and I cocked an eyebrow, only swaying a little. “A little privacy?”

“Bleh, you’re no fun,” she said, pouting as she turned away. “I’m gonna go get you some clean clothes. Not sure I have much that’ll fit, but -“

“Don’t leave,” I blurted, grabbing her wrist. “You said you’d guard the door.”

She watched me with an intense, unreadable expression that spoke volumes. Neither of us discussed anything to do with the outside world, but it was obvious she’d seen things - no way an omega that looked the way she did could have possibly escaped unscathed. “Alright,” she agreed, softly serious. “I’ll stay.”

I nodded, taking a deep breath before pulling off my underwear and stepping swiftly under the spray.

“Jesus fuck, I think I just organsmed,” I groaned, lifting my face towards the spray. I closed my eyes, allowing the warm water to run over my face.

“Here, you’re going to need this,” Darcy said, laughing as she passed me a bottle of shampoo and conditioner - the intense moment thankfully breaking. “We’re rationed on this stuff. But I think I’ll get a pass this once. Cane the bottle.”

“You sure know how to make a gal feel loved,” I grumbled, before dutifully wetting, washing and repeating. When my hair was suitably clean and conditioned, and the water in the drain was no longer running brown, Darcy passed me the soap. “Is this berry?”

“I like berry!” She defend in mock outrage.

I snorted and then proceeded to wash every inch of my skin until months worth of dirt and grit were finally gone. I stepped out of the shower, clean for the first time in what felt like an eternity.

“You ready to tackle the hair and beard next?” Darcy asked, handing me a towel and staring unashamedly as I dried off. “And maybe grab something else to eat. You need some serious junk in the trunk, Tony.”

“Don’t you know that emaciation is in vogue right now?” I quipped, wrapping the towel around my waist before rubbing a hand over my hair. “Maybe we should just shave this off. It’s got to be one big ball of knots.”

“I might be able to save it,” Darcy said, shrugging. “But it’s up to you.”

“Ok, but if you yank on my hair I am going to have one heck of a hissy fit.”

“Sure you are,” she said, grinning as she reached into her cabinets and pulled out a pair of scissors and a comb.

“Do you know what you’re doing with those?” I asked, a little nervous.

Darcy’s answering grin was downright terrifying