bakerstreet | Alpha/Beta/Omega Meme

Alpha/Beta/Omega Meme

THE ALPHA/BETA/OMEGA MEME

In our world, sexual roles are commonly defined by genders -- male or female or other, by sexualities -- gay or straight, bi or asexual or in-between. But what if they were defined by something else entirely?

Alpha/Beta/Omegaverse is a fusion of fanfiction tropes and animalistic behavior. In this world, sexual roles are divided into three categories: the Alphas (the dominant, the protective and the aggressive), the Betas (ordinary humans) and the Omegas (submissive, fertile and able to carry children).

RESOURCES:
Fanlore on the Alpha/Beta/Omegaverse
Alphas, Betas and Omegas: A primer.

CONTENT WARNING: Below the cut contains descriptions of animalistic sexual behavior as applied to humans, situations of dubious consent, explicit situations, mpreg, and scenarios of societal oppression. Click with caution!

ROLES:
1 - The Alpha.
* Stereotypically type A personalities.
* Anatomically: Males have a penis; females may have a penis in addition to a vagina.
* Alphas knot their mates, meaning that the base of the penis swells and locks them inside their mate while they produce copious amounts of semen in an effort to breed.
* Strong sense of smell.
* Near an Omega in heat, they experience a compulsion to mate that is almost impossible to overcome.
* Alphas may go into rut, which is their equivalent of Omega heat, and drives them to mate.

2 - The Beta.
* Ordinary human being.
* Males have penises; females have vaginas.
* Can mate to anyone.
* Might be able to smell hormones of Omegas and Alphas, but will not be overwhelmingly affected by them.

3 - The Omega.
* Stereotypically submissive, quiet, intelligent and less physically able.
* Female anatomy is similar to Betas; males are self-lubricating and may have either an external or internal vaginal setup.
* Regularly go into heat, which involves being overcome by the urge to mate. They are unable to consent while in heat.
* May be made compliant by a bite to the neck. However, that may also induce a mating bond.
* Often regarded as second-class citizens or prizes to be won.

SITUATIONS:
1 - Bonding - Love at first sight. You've spotted your soulmate. You can smell them, you can feel them, you know that they'll be with you until the end of your days. Unless there's something between the two of you. It could be age - maybe one of you has to wait until the other has reached maturity. It could be that the bond is one-sided, and the other has yet to fall in love. It could be an unwanted bond, or society could have divided you into different places. Is your love strong enough to conquer?

2 - Heat/Rut - The need is coming on you strong. Everyone for a half-mile around can smell it. Better find someone to ride it out with, or hole yourself up in a room with a few bottles of water and a durable sex toy. And you'd better hope that there isn't someone out there who will take advantage of your pliable state. Best case scenario, there might be a Beta who can take care of you, or fend off anyone too predatory.

3 - Pregnancy - Whether through a heat or not, you're pregnant. Congratulations - or condolences. Is it time to start a family, or time to start panicking?

4 - Suppressants - You're using suppressants to keep yourself on an even hormone cycle, skipping heats, or maybe pretending to pass as a different class of society. After all, Omegas might want to be in the military, where they're not usually allowed - or an Alpha might want to take a job in a university or as a nurse. Shouldn't they be allowed to, if their hormones are suppressed? Just hope that you don't miss a dose.

5 - Mistaken Identity - That friend that you always thought was an Alpha, or an Omega, or a neutral Beta, turns out to be something entirely different, and your world is turned absolutely upside down. Does it challenge your preconceptions? Or does it just ruin the balance between you two?

6 - Unlikely Pairs - After all, there's no actual reason that Alphas have to mate with Omegas. Maybe two Omegas can satisfy each other. Or two Alphas. Or your intended mate could easily be a Beta. Maybe this is just about breaking out of your pre-established role and becoming something new.

7 - Manifestation - In some cases, an individual may not know they are Omega, Beta or Alpha until their first heat/rut/manifestation, usually happening in early teen years. It may take you by surprise; it may be a blessing, or may be a deep disappointment.

8 - Other - Adventures in getting jobs, making families, fighting bad guys, and anything else you can come up with!

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[Their course is laid in, and Julian hasn't been doing much but sit with his hands on the controls, making minor adjustments to seem useful. He freezes, though, as Garak's hands fall on his shoulders--and eventually, hesitantly, reaches back to cover them with his own.]

Mm, of course. I must admit, I've only paid peripheral attention to it, the Bajorans aren't incredibly eager to involve people like me. They tend to come to my aides with any problems they may have.

[As they're also Bajoran.]

[Julian wasn't rejecting him. The touch on his hands isn't much but it stirs a pleased response in Garak that is well out of proportion to the gesture.]

Having experienced it for yourself... do you think members of a species that don't have these cycles could possibly understand? And I don't mean the biology behind it, I mean understanding how important this aspect of our life is.

There's a saying on Cardassia, "An Alpha is an Alpha above all else."

[Which had multiple meanings and really said something about the Alpha-filled government but that was a discussion for another time. Quite possibly never.]

[The consuming, blinding need? The aggression and protectiveness? No, he couldn't say that he did--not from an emotional, or a societal standpoint. He had gotten it from an academic view, which was really...not even close to being everything.]

...and the fact that the more assertive and dominant Alphas probably inhabit all upper echelons of the military and government has absolutely nothing to do with that.

[He could read between those lines easily enough. Starfleet didn't have rules barring Omegas from serving, and neither did the Bajoran militia, but he could see why they'd be less prevalent in such a role now. Very easily.

Also, his specialty of late is making you have extremely awkward conversations.]

...anyway, I suppose I couldn't.

Absolutely nothing at all.

[Garak agreed amiably. Julian really was a delightful Human. And that wasn't just his currently imbalanced brain chemicals speaking.]

Do you know-

Just how much of an Omega are you right now?

[The smell was incredible, and obviously they'd had no problems mating.]

[Thanks...?]

I've no idea. They took practically whatever wasn't bolted down, including all the equipment in my medkit. I won't be able to determine what they did until we're back.

[He obviously can't scan himself without any equipment. And he's actually somewhat dreading the answer--how different did they make him? Could he reverse it?

...would Garak let him?]

[Garak really couldn't help it, he had to lean in and get close enough to sniff and nuzzle at Julian's neck. Engaging in that action was an incredible relief to a desire that was really beginning to torment him.]

You have their data, at least.

[Cardassians had never had any luck converting Betas into either Omegas or Alphas. Both were prized, and present in much larger numbers than among Bajorans.]

[Garak's presence, so close, made Julian's skin prickle in a way that wasn't unpleasant, certainly. But he wasn't sure if that was due to his changed biology, or something else.]

At least there's that.

[The question of exactly how he felt about this stayed in his mind as they approached DS9, went through the by now sadly familiar routine of "where in the world have you been, what happened?" If Kira's eyes on him and Garak were a little sharp, well. She knew full well what had happened the last time he'd vanished for a few days. She was probably thinking only of that.

She certainly wasn't when the airlock door rolled back. Surely she could smell the change in him--and Garak all over him, judging from her glances between the two of them. He begged off explanations with a tired smile--bless Kira, she had enough tact to not ask, with Odo and Dax right there--and said that medically he and Garak were both fine, merely tired, and an exam could keep until tomorrow. Being Chief Medical Officer did have its advantages.

But of course, she had to tell the Captain, and his debrefing the next day was an exercise in emotional torment which had ended in a gentle but firm suggestion that he take some leave time (his protests that he was fine and only wanted to find a way to reverse this as soon as possible fell not on deaf ears, but ones certainly inclined to disbelieve him.) Kira had stopped him as he left, already angry and worried that the longer this went on, the more ramifications it would have--and offered to ask Odo to post security, to ensure that Garak stayed away from him. He was sure the offer was meant kindly, out of concern, but the idea raised a cold fury in him (that he fervently denied as being angry at the thought of being separated from his mate, no, it was just the implication that he couldn't take care of himself...) that he couldn't shake. He was perhaps a bit more curt in his dismissal than was warranted. Surely she could forgive him his high emotions.

So with all-but-orders to rest and recover, Julian retreated to his quarters and collapsed into bed.]

[Being separated from Julian, and giving his account of events, had been an extreme test of his will power. He'd immediately retreated to his quarters to isolate himself. He still reeked of Julian and sex, and was reluctant to put an end to that... the clothes were set aside to continue to smell like his mate.

Garak managed to keep himself away for more than a day. It had been an absolute torment but then Garak could no longer stay by himself. He'd woken up during the night and had a moment of panic that he was trapped again, apart from his mate.

He was out of his room before his disciplined mind caught up with his instincts. Leave Julian alone... don't leave Julian alone...

He couldn't leave Julian alone, they'd already been apart for far too long. It was simple enough to gain access to Julian's quarters. This was a Cardassian station after all. The room had an odd mixed smell... but both were undeniably Julian.

The faint scent of him before he'd become an Omega, and his current scent. Garak surrendered to the imperative to join his mate and climbed onto Julian's bed next to him. Kira's scent was there, very faintly but there. The obvious choice here was to reinforce his claim on Julian by keeping their scents together.]

[Julian had spent the time he wasn't sleeping trying to corral his wandering mind, concentrate on reading any material he could get his hands on--which wasn't much of anything, aside from the experiment logs that they'd recovered on the way out. There certainly weren't any case studies for things like this.

It was an incredibly unproductive way to spend his time, especially when his mind kept circling back to Garak. He couldn't concentrate, it was getting worse throughout the day, and finally Julian had given it up as a bad job and stripped down to go to bed.

He was so deeply asleep, he didn't stir when Garak gained access to his quarters--but the movement in his bed was a bit much to ignore, and Julian woke with a start, groggy and confused.]

...Garak?

[Garak nuzzled Julian happily, even as the doctor startled awake.]

Yes. It's me. Just go back to sleep.

[The tension and frustration he'd been enduring evaporated now that he was back where he belonged, with Julian.]

[Oh yes, because that's going to happen.]

Garak, what are you--

[Julian flushes as he recalls that he went to bed without pajamas--he'd felt too warm, and had thought he'd sleep nude tonight. Obviously a bad decision.]

...I'd ask how you got in here, but I have a feeling you won't tell me.

[Garak didn't mind the absence of clothing. There was a layer between them and the protective instinct was stronger than the mating instinct.]

I couldn't stay away from you any longer. It's agonizing.

[He just had to get back to his mate. It all seemed a little less convincing now that his mind was once again clear, but he had no intention of leaving again.]

[This was exactly why he hadn't wanted to wait, to find a way to reverse what they'd done as soon as possible--it was only going to be harder on the both of them if he stayed like this much longer.]

Garak...

[He can't deny that he feels so much better with Garak there, like there'd been a hollow place inside him that was now filled--but that in and of itself was disturbing, it meant that he was adapting too.]

We can discuss this now if you like. I for one would prefer that we both get some well-deserved rest and have this conversation over breakfast.

[Garak had no interest in resuming his breakfasts with Odo so quickly. Of the people on the station, Odo was probably the second most familiar with Cardassian mating rituals and the occasionally violent complications.]

[Well, he probably wasn't going to get out of this without calling Security, which was something he really did not want to do. Surely one night couldn't hurt any more than they'd already been. He'd just go back to the infirmary tomorrow, leave or no, and work on fixing this.]

...alright, fine.

[Garak found it was surprisingly easy to sleep with Julian nestled up against him. In fact, he slept better than he had in a long time. He hadn't been able to sleep well during the heat, naturally.

He awoke surprisingly refreshed and satisfied in a way he didn't expect.]

Good morning, my dear.

[Now they just had to figure out what to do with the situation. Julian would, as his training and mindset dictated, try to 'fix' this. Garak agreed that something needed to be fixed but at the same time he couldn't agree that Julian would be best served by going back to being completely human.]

[Julian didn't stir til morning, waking amazingly well-rested and warm, wrapped up in Garak's arms--they'd moved closer in the night, if that was even possible.]

Mm...good morning.

[They had to figure it out indeed. It seemed they had a lot to talk about.]

[As reluctant as he was, Garak disentangled himself from Julian to give the doctor some space. They'd be smelling of one another for the entire day, at least.]

Breakfast?

[A different tactic from usual Cardassian Alpha behaviors would be required to demonstrate he'd be a good mate for Julian.]

[This is incredibly strange. He couldn't fault Garak for being inattentive, but he wasn't used to it. From anyone he'd ever been involved with, really.

Talking about this was going to be interesting.]

Alright. You go get the replicator in line while I make myself presentable--then we need to talk about this.

[Nope, he is not letting this go without a discussion, the sooner they get it over with the better.]

[Garak slid out of the bed and straightened out his bed clothes. He really hadn't thought this through. Didn't the humans have an expression for this situation? The 'walk of shame'?.]

You mean, in addition to all the talking we've done already?

[Except that they hadn't really discussed any of the important issues and Garak wasn't sure he wanted to.]

[That would only be if Julian were kicking you out, which he notably isn't.]

Which isn't much.

[Nope, not getting out of it that easily.]

Please, I need you to hear me out if we are going to have any chance at all of making this work.

Edited 2013-12-28 17:16 (UTC)

[Replicator, right. Breakfast. Because Garak is a good mate, damnit.]

We've done a great deal of talking.

[Except they didn't say anything important while they were... and hearing Julian say that there might be a chance of making this work? Garak sincerely hoped that 'this' was the fact that they were mates and Julian was interested in trying.]

I'm all ears, Doctor.

[He is trying, bless his heart.]

And yet nothing was said.

[Julian has to put pants on for this discussion, and goes to do so--really, he isn't ashamed of being bare in front of Garak, he had seen everything after all. But it's the principle of it.]

Honestly, I think we're well past the point where you're entitled to use my first name.

[Attempting a joke to lighten the mood, is it working? Julian sits at the table, folding his hands in front of him for lack of anything better to do with them.]

First...you understand that I have to try to find a way to reverse this--what those people did to me. I want you to know that it's not because of you--out of anyone, I'm glad that you're in this with me.

[Garak completely understands the need to be clothed.]

Of course, my dear.

[He just orders a couple of simple breakfast dishes he knows Julian likes because he's smelled them on him and eventually identified them.]

I... understand. The part of me that is convinced we're going to be together for the rest of our lives is a little less understanding. I will always be in this with you, Julian. I can safely say that I'd do anything for you.

[Part of it is the desire he's always harbored for this soft-skinned, naive human, and the rest of it is Alpha biology that won't let him fully take control of himself in Julian's presence just yet.]

[Well, half clothed in this case. But still.]

I never said that we couldn't. I do like you, Garak, you're intelligent and handsome, and I certainly don't mind the idea of being in a relationship with you.

Just...you know my history, and why the idea of being altered, again, isn't something that I can simply live with. Not when I'm in a position where I know enough to change it.

[He's not going to accept the idea that he can't.]

Not to mention the repercussions it could have down the line. There are a multitude of reasons that genetic alterations are not done, the chance of instability or side effects high amongst them. If any other person were in my current position, and I were treating them, it would be the same.

Alpha/Beta/Omega Meme

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