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ABO 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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At first, mohinder thought that Gabriel slipped. That there was a newly acquired power in his arsenal joined to the others in the old fashioned, extremely bloody way. His eyes had been wide, not fearful but understanding.

It was almost funny how the colour had drained from his perfect face as Gabriel continued, jaw growing slack and the pain of understanding causing his eyes to water and redden.

"Okay-- okay, that's not..." He took a breath and willed his hands to stay under Gabriel's. "That's not the end of the world--" But it was the end of his world and he knew it, though he was trying to think of the best case scenario here. Mohinder scooted to the edge of the chair, as if closeness could mean anything.

Betas could never truly know what it was like to be biologically driven towards a mate for more than companionship and breeding. They were two halves. And sure, he'd read the texts. He'd had Omega and Alpha friends in school growing up. He was liberal despite his conservative background. He was a scientist! But that hadn't meant anything in the long run.

Tears trickled down his cheeks.

He wanted to jump right into asking what it meant of them but instead, selflessly, he went a different route. "You might-- it's been so long that you might have complications. You could develop suppressant shock-- Gabriel, you should let Doctor Watson examine you."

Mohinder could get in one last mother henning before Gabriel left him.

It would've been better if Mohinder had reacted with anger. Then at least Gabriel would figure he was getting everything he deserved. He could be appropriately ashamed. But Mohinder was still fussing over him, even knowing this...

Gabriel could hear him crying, and he sniffled himself. One tear escaped and ran down his cheek. He still didn't look up. "I thought I could just keep on them forever. I never wanted-" His voice caught, emotions too thick on his tongue. "I'm sorry. I don't know how to fix it. I-" He wasn't getting anywhere with this. "I'll go see Dr. Watson," he finally said, weakly.

But he didn't get up from his chair. He just kept staring at one spot on the table and tried not to cry. Some awful, terrible thing in the back of his mind wished Jack was there to hold him, and he didn't think he ever hated being an Omega more than he did now.

Could love and experience and companionship really be turned off so easily in an Omega when presented with a more biologically appropriate choice? Research said that yes, bonding with an Alpha could and did consume everything else in an Omega. Gabriel didn't look sad so much as guilty and perhaps that was mainly due to the fact that Mohinder was so obviously upset.

He removed his hand from beneath Gabriel's. There was no need to say anything more and Mohinder would not torment himself by telling Gabriel he loved him because he very much doubted he would have the sentiment returned.

Instead, he stood and lingered by the door for a moment. "Just take care of yourself," he said as cheerfully as possible-- and that wasn't very cheerful at all. When Gabriel got up to follow or eventually just to leave the room, he would find the engagement band left behind.

The sudden distance between them seemed immense, once Mohinder took his hand away. The purposefully polite response felt colder than any of the angry words flung at him back when they'd been enemies. Gabriel's tears flowed more freely as he saw the man leaving. He'd given Mohinder the opportunity to say what he needed to, and to be the one to pull away (symbolically if nothing else), and Mohinder had taken it.

It was so fast, Gabriel felt dizzy. He stood and ran to the door. "Wait! That's it? We're just-" Of course they were. Mohinder came to the same conclusions, just as quickly as Gabriel did. Gabriel was just still clinging to a solution where everyone would be okay. That's why he'd completely forgotten how he'd intended to act during this whole thing. "You're not even going to yell at me? Mohinder..." And then he said something, in his desperation, that he almost certainly shouldn't have brought up. "There might be other options."

Edited 2015-12-29 16:35 (UTC)

Mohinder didn't want to turn around. Drawing this out meant that there was just more opportunity for his heart of he snapped into a thousand pieces. He could almost feel his lungs closing up already and he had wanted to get someplace private where he could sob against his knees and try to decide of he could stay here, though the chances of running Into Gabriel could be very slight if he stayed in the lab. With Jack as his boss, however...

He was gripping the catwalk railing as if he was seriously thinking about pitching himself into the core (he wasn't, suicide wasn't even contemplated) when he heard that voice bat mercilessly against the side of his ears. He almost snapped then, but he was not that sort of man. And besides--

"Would it make you feel better if I yelled at you?" His knuckles were white. "That seems horribly unfair-- I don't blame you. It wasn't premeditated. And you can't precisely undo what's been done. You lied to me. You his this part of yourself from me. And while I wish to feel anger towards you, I understand why you did it."

Mohinder bit the inside of his mouth, back still to the American. Below them a few people wandered, the content of the conversation masked thankfully.

Gabriel reached out and took a couple of steps, but he stopped before he'd gotten close to Mohinder. Not really feeling steady enough, he found himself leaning against the nearest upright flat surface. "I could try to dissolve the bond," he said, quietly. "We could both run to some other reality, and if- if I'm pregnant, we could raise the child together." It sounded a little too perfect, so he rose the big issue with it as well. "The bond might come back, because of the regeneration."

It wasn't a very good prospect, because it was likely the bond would manage to stick. Gabriel knew that. And he didn't want either him or Mohinder to sit through years of Gabriel trying to hide that he was pining for someone else. But he had to bring it up.

And Gabriel brought that up because, at heart, he was still a child that thought it was interesting to pull the wings from insects, not maliciously but because he was curious. Mohinder's shoulders slumped as he felt the weight of reality tumbling down on his head.

"It isn't what you want."

He couldn't know that for certain. Gabriel was very likely trying to mend a fatal stab wound with duct tape. It would work as a stop gap but only for a brief amount of time. Eventually the patient would still die, experiencing more agony than he might have if just allowed to bleed out.

"I-if you had told me... If this was something to plan for... We could have--" What was the point of ifs and could haves? He finally turned, his eyes never quite reaching Gabriel's as if they were stopped by steel beams. "You have eternity. I have a few more decades. This was always going to end." He had just hoped to experience it for a little while longer. "Don't offer me crumbs when I'm starving," he stuttered out.

He was only making this worse. He could tell that's what was happening, even while he had more protests ready to leap out of his throat. But he fell silent with Mohinder's last statement.

That's what it was, wasn't it? Gabriel looked away from those eyes that were not quite looking at him. He rubbed at his face, which merely stimulated the crying further. He sniffled.

"None of this is what I want. What I'd chosen was to be with you, the man who saved me, the one who taught me how to have a heart. The one I love. I wanted to get married and adopt and work here together. And now, after everything we've been through- it's all gone because of one last lie that even I'd forgotten about?" He slid down to a squat and sat, heavily, on the catwalk. Through a half-laugh/half-sob, he added, "I'm sorry I'm so cruel. I really thought I'd stopped."

He took a deep breath and let it out. "If you could accept it, there's sure to be another world out there where a version of me just lost his version of you." It wouldn't be the same, but maybe it'd be enough. "Just- for your consideration. I'll leave you alone now. I-" He stopped himself and closed his eyes tight for a moment, his hand squeezing into a fist as he willed himself not to reach out. "Please...take care of yourself, Mohinder."

Mohinder didn't want to see Gabriel in pain but with those tears he could at the very least manage to pretend that Gabriel wept for him and not because he selfishly was losing something he wanted. At least it stopped his own tears. And those silly words--

"There's no replacement for you. What if he has blue eyes or takes his tea without sugar? I'm not sure I would like him at all. But I will take care of myself. I've been fairly good at it so far," Mohinder said before he left Gabriel on the catwalk.

He would be all right. He told himself that he would because he was strong. But that didn't mean he truly was.

Jack would find a letter of resignation on his desk when he returned and after considering it for some time, knowing that Gabriel would seek him out when he was ready because sometimes they all needed to be alone, glanced up as a shaggy blond head popped through his door. "Jim?"

"Don't want to know the specifics of why, but I just gave Suresh a lift back to the States and Sasan is a weeping mess. So thanks for whatever you did, Boss."

Gabriel did need some time. He pretty much found a small bunk somewhere in the Hub and laid on it and let himself cry. There was no way he was going back to the cottage. He didn't need to eat or sleep, and so he just cried without a mind to how much time had passed.

It was strange, but he thought he could feel when Jack had returned. A part of him wanted to rush over there, but it was overwhelmed by the part of him that was angry at all of his instincts. Eventually, though, he did sit up, and decide to head to Jack's office. He could always leave again if it was all too much.

Jim got there just before he did. Gabriel was surprised that Mohinder went back to the States (wouldn't India hold better memories for him?), and decided he'd check on the scientist just to make sure he really was taking care of himself. The curious thing was Sasan. "Why is Sasan a weeping mess?" he asked, noticing a little late that his voice was rather croaky.

Mohinder could never return to being just a professor. He wasn't at all sure what he would do but perhaps he could find work again at the Company or track down Peter Petrelli. He needed to drop himself back in his research or he might just go mad thinking about all of that time he had shared loving the man who had been a murderer only to be so quickly pushed aside. He tried telling himself that he wasn't being fair but... Could he ever be fair when he found himself alone again?

Jim glanced over his shoulder at Gabriel and then stood back with his arms crossed over his chest. Jack's eyes were on Gabriel and Jim didn't really let himself take notice of that.

"You've met Sasan. He's emotional," Jim dug in. He did not hide how much disdain he had for the other man.

Gabriel rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Whatever."

Jim seemed awfully pissed for not having anything to do with this whole situation. This was a more familiar feeling than everything that'd been going on in the past couple weeks, at least. "You got a problem with me, Kirk? Because I'd love a fight right now." It was hard to tell whether he was being sarcastic or not.

He glanced at Jack and found his eyes caught on the man. He'd meant to just try and indicate that- well, Jack understood, right? Why he'd be feeling a little antagonistic? But even with the bad mood, Jack's eyes made him melt a little on the inside. He gave Jack something like a sad smile, and then looked back at Jim, gauging that reaction.

Oh Jim would love a chance to fight and though Gabriel was indestructible and could cut him open with a glance, he'd take it. He'd been in some horrible fights before. This would be no different.

Jack just let them posture for a bit. Gabriel might be his bondmate but he wasn't in heat and Jack wasn't under any particular effect to be protective. Should Gabriel end up being pregnant-- Well all bets were off. For now, though, he could be the boss. And he needed to be or he was going to have his best agent hating him more than he did and his second best agent thinking he could get away with anything.

He'd been a dad too many times to be fooled by this turn of events.

"Gray, go home. Kirk, thanks for taking care of Suresh. Make sure Sasan isn't tweeting about his day again. I have some work to do." But he would visit Gabriel later. That little nod towards him was a give away.

Gabriel thought he was going to get his fight for a moment, until Jack called it off. Not only that, but Jack told him to leave. So Gabriel trudged out of the office, glaring a little at Kirk, and headed back to that bunk. He didn't even think about going to the cottage.

He sat down, wrapped his arms around his knees, and laid his head down on his knees like that. He didn't cry this time, he just sat and thought. And he might've eventually dozed a little, in that uncomfortable position.

Edited 2015-12-29 20:17 (UTC)

Jack wasn't going to ask about Mohinder. It was a private thing, one that had happened because he did not do what he should have. Gabriel would have survived his heat. Jack could have spent the week doing something else. But no. He made the choice to stay.

He never felt good about braking up the happy homes of the monogamous.

Finding Gabriel was easy. The Alpha would always know where his Omega was. He meandered his way down to the room he was in and joined him on the bunk. "This isn't home, Gabe."

Gabriel rose his head as he heard Jack walking down the hallway. "I couldn't go back yet," he admitted, uncurling and leaning his head against Jack's shoulder. His eyes were a little puffy, but he didn't sound any worse for wear this time. "You're the only one that calls me that, you know."

He was quiet for a few long seconds, just leaning. Part of him was glad to no longer feel so lonely- another part was frustrated and angry with the first. Eventually, he asked, "How long were you away?"

He didn't respond about the nickname. Jack leaned back against the wall and put an arm around the other man. Everyone got four letters or less if he could help it. Only one person had been special-- Jack wondered what the afterlife was like and decided just as quickly not to wonder any more. It wasn't a place for him.

He ran his fingers through lengthening dark hair. Someone needed a trim.

"Three months, but it's finished." Three months apart and Jack could still manage to be away from his bondmate when he was so close? It wasn't coldness. It was fortitude.

He settled into Jack's arm and closed his eyes when he felt fingers in his hair. He always liked that.

"That's a long time," he commented. Or at least he thought it would seem so. "Thanks for giving me a little while to handle everything. I wouldn't have minded if you just came by, though."

A weak smile showed on Gabriel's lips as he realized that he actually felt like talking. "I know you're aware already, but Mohinder's gone. I did the best I could. Still feel like a worse person than I did when I was ripping people's heads open." That didn't exactly track, but it made sense to him. Right now, he was basically spewing out any thought that was in his head. He looked to the side without otherwise moving. "I hope he'll be okay."

Jack once again didn't say anything because Gabriel needed to talk, to confess, rather than to be comforted. There was no comfort that Jack could really give him in this. Mohinder was a causality of biology. They would miss his mind and his brightness, and Jack would miss listening to him and even seeing how happy and in love He'd been with Gabriel. Jack had long since learned, however, not to dwell on the past.

This one he could likely change, placing supplements in Gabriel's back or slipping epipens with anti omega hormone injections in his own coat pocket so that he would not be effect by the other's heat.

But he didn't want to.

Jack set a hand on Gabriel's stomach and then lightly kissed his ear.

"This might sound morbid now... But the cottage you had been staying at was my home with my last mate. I understand how you feel about not wanting to go back."

The touching settled something in him. He'd had a worry in the back of his head that Jack would be distant after all this was over. He knew that wasn't supposed to be how it worked at all, but his fear of abandonment wouldn't be denied. Jack was here to soothe it, and the touches were reminders of that.

Gabriel's eyes closed as he began to relax. "I thought that might've been what happened. Maybe...maybe someday, we can both go back there. Be sad about it together. It is a beautiful place." He was quiet for a moment, then chuckled at himself. "That might be a terrible idea. I'm not particularly good at handling things like this."

"Sasan can move in and you can have him bring whatever things you want. We'll find another space for you."

No. Jack was not offering Gabriel to come and stay with him yet. There wasn't even a address for where he stayed and he didn't think the Omega would be happy there at all. And it might look wrong.

At least right now. Jack could stand it. But he didn't want Gabriel to be hurt by his own hormones.

"I want you to talk to Watson first though. You said you were taking those for years right? Stupid to think about it now but just in case there's a baby-- or a chance of a baby... We need to know."

Jack making the decision for Sasan to move in got a nod out of Gabriel. He'd be happy with the place, just for that closet. And he didn't imagine Sasan would want to keep any of Gabriel's things, either.

Gabriel felt like he could just stay here, personally- especially if Jack would come visit sometimes. But as Jack kept talking, he realized he couldn't hole up in here if a baby was on the way. He had no idea where Jack even lived- it seemed like the man was always in the office or out working. So yes, perhaps a new space could be good.

"I should get to Watson. I still haven't yet. I heard something about suppressant shock?" He looked only a little bit worried. After all, the regen really did take care of most things. "Has everyone figured it out, already? I imagine Mohinder leaving so suddenly got people talking. And Sasan worked up, apparently." He wondered if his coworkers had figured out about the two of them. Gabriel felt like he was under a mystery countdown, only hours or days before everyone started treating him entirely differently.

"You can regenerate," Jack laughed, making it easy for Gabriel to curl against him. He laced his fingers in dark hair and provided comfort and warmth for the other. His poor Omega. He could feel the turmoil going through him. This was why society had so many checks and balances on their biology. It kept this from happening.

But it did still happen.

Jack watched the wall and the door, protective, ready to bar the way if anyone tried to pounce on them.

"I have no idea what your ability can do honestly. And-- We don't know if it will let you carry children either. But I'd rather be safe than sorry."

Gabriel did pull his feet up and pressed himself further against Jack, almost without thinking about it. It was just more comfortable that way. It seemed he was suddenly concerned with comfort after completely forgetting about it for however long it'd been since Mohinder and him said goodbye.

"It will," he murmured, so far after the fact that it seemed incongruous to the discussion. "My ability will let me carry children. I don't always get a clear picture with my aptitude, but I do know the regeneration allows for it. It won't see the baby as something it needs to fix."

He continued to curl up and finally let himself do what he'd wanted from the moment he saw Jack- to nuzzle at his neck and press a few small, lazy kisses to it.

Gabriel was on his back a moment later, the Alpha bearing down to press more forceful kisses on his new bondmate. It had been a long time apart for Jack and what Alpha wouldn't be pleased to hear that their Omega already knew he was healthy and capable of bearing children?

Though... Jack hoped that, boy or girl, they had a Beta. He wasn't sure he could put up with the hormone surges of any other gender.

A few small kisses led to a few more strenuous ones... And those led to clothing being removed and-- Jack pulled back. "mind locking the door, Gabe?" Oh a telekinetic came in handy!

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