Argo was happy to see that the guards hadn't come back while he was getting Stray and so he hauled him into his room. He pulled him to the bed and then realized that he should probably not do that with all the blood. He looked behind Stray and saw that the red stain was still wet looking. Argo wasn't sure what to do when Stray moaned, lifting his head and opening his eyes. He looked around for a moment and upon seeing Argo, he pushed away from him.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, I just... I got worried and so I dragged you to my room."

Stray looked around at the large room and then at Argo.

"You dragged me all the way up here? I thought you had guards in front of your room?"

"I think they're downstairs in the main eating area. They probably thought that I would never leave the room and wouldn't notice."

Stray watched Argo for a moment and then put his hand over his stomach, leaning onto the post that was on the corner of Argo's four post bed. He winced again and turned to the post, grabbing it with both hands and almost hugging it to try and get through the pain. Argo wished he wasn't so useless so that he could help him a little better.

"Um... I'm sorry I dragged you here, but I didn't think it would be good to leave you by yourself since you look like you're in a lot of pain and you keep passing out. I was about to put you in the shower and if that didn't wake you up, I was going to at least get the blood off of you and get you a new pair of pants."

"So you were just going to take my clothes off without my consent? Was this part of what I paid for or something?"

"No... I was... just trying to be nice." He said, hanging his head. "I'm sorry that I got into your business."

A sharp pain came over Stray and he winced, hugging the post so hard he thought it would snap in two in his arms. Argo noticed a small stream of red puddle at Stray's feet from pant leg. Blood was never a good thing but it seemed like Stray was going to be really stubborn about letting Argo help. He knew he couldn't do much, but he had to get to the bottom of all this strangeness or he wouldn't be able to help.

Argo bit his bottom lip, deciding against all instinct to go out on a weird limb.

"You're... not... an alpha... are you?" he asked cautiously.

Stray opened his eyes and glared at Argo. "What?"

"This scent that is coming from you... the last time I smelled it, it was coming from an omega. I've never smelled it ever coming from an alpha and so I just..."

"What does it matter to you? Why do you ask so many damned questions?"

"If I don't ask questions that I can't help you."

"You sound like you're phishing for information. What are you going to do with that information? Blackmail me?"

"Blackmail? What's that?"

"It's when you use information against someone in exchange for something that benefits you."

"Why would I want to do that?" he said, truly unsure what he would need to do that for.

"I don't know man, you tell me." Stray winced again, clinging to the post for dear life, gritting his teeth. "Fuck!"

"Well, like I said, the last time I smelled this was when I saw another omega giving birth in an alley." Stray's eyes snapped open. "I'm not really smart but I know that only omegas can have a real birth without surgery and um... your blood smells like... that..."

Stray didn't say anything as he squeezed his eyes closed again, taking on another pain. Argo was a little confused since the omega giving birth was also in pain, but Stray didn't look like he was about to give birth. Something was terribly wrong and Argo felt like if he didn't do anything, Stray was just going to stay on that post. He had to get him to trust him and to allow him to help. He seemed unwilling...

"You're an omega, aren't you?" Stray didn't do anything for a moment but finally nodded just a little. "And you are pregnant."

"Kind of."

Argo thought for a moment. "Is the baby... dying?"

"Yeah. Seems like it." He growled, another wave of pain coming over him.

"Why?"

"D-didn't hold, I guess." Stray said, holding in the pain.

Argo nodded, still full of questions, but it was clear that if Stray didn't get the dead child out of him, he would die. Argo breathed in.

"I don't want to blackmail you; I want to help you. I don't know why you smelled like an alpha when you're really an omega, and I don't know your story, but... I want to help you. I'm not exactly the smartest, but I think getting in the shower will help. Give me your hand. We'll do this together."

Stray really didn't want to do this. If he did, it made it all real. But he had to... if he didn't want to die, he would have to. He grabbed Argo's hand and he led him to the bathroom. He turned on the shower and leaned Stray against the countertop. Stray started to slowly unbutton his shirt. Argo went to try and help him but Stray gave him a glare, daring him. Understanding, Argo left the bathroom.

He closed the door and looked around, seeing where the blood had still pooled on the floor. He found a rag and wiped up the blood, hoping it didn't seep into the floorboards. He was about to try and find Stray some extra clothes but realized that he was way too big to fit Argo's frame and so Argo decided to try and go back to Stray's room to get his suitcase.

**************

Argo came back with Stray's suitcase and put it on the bed. He went to the bathroom door and knocked but no one answered, so he just opened the door. The shower as still going and Stray's clothes were in a pile on the floor, so Argo gathered them up and stuffed them in a bag to burn later. He went back and pulled back the curtain. Stray was sitting on the ground, leaning against the back of the tub, shivering. Red was pooling under him, washing away down the drain. Even through the smell of water, Argo still smelled the other scent. Stray moved his eyes to Argo.

"I can't do this." he said.

"Do what?"

"I know... I know it needs to get out of me but... it hurts so bad. The pain is unbearable. Besides I deserve to die anyway. I let this happen... I should have been more careful. It's my fault."

"Hey, don't talk that way." Argo said, kneeling next to the tub to be eyelevel with him. "I'm sure it wasn't your fault at all."

"What do you know? You're about as innocent as innocent can be. You're also naïve. I don't know which one is worse: being innocent, being naïve, or being both." He winced as the pain waved through him.

Argo made a face. "So? Just because I am doesn't mean I'm incapable of understanding. Are alphas always this annoying when you speak to them outside of work?" he wondered out loud.

Stray had to laugh. "I didn't picture you the nagging type. With a face like yours though, I guess you don't get much push back on your opinions... Perhaps other alphas even like that..."

"What does my face have to do with understanding common decency? I was just trying to be nice... Um.. so... why were you an alpha yesterday but now you're an omega?"

"I've always been an omega; I just take something to pose as an alpha. My parents forced me to take pills to mask myself as an alpha. They were ashamed that their only male heir was an omega but they didn't want to take the time to help me get a stronger prescription when I needed it. And look at me now? I'm here with some omega-whore dealing with I'm assuming is a miscarriage from Hell."

"Hey, I am not an omega-whore!" Argo yelled, standing up. "That's mean! Does being an alpha mean you end up being such a horrible person?"

Stray was about to say something when a wave of pain came over him so badly that he cried out, clenching his teeth hard. Argo knelt back down and grabbed Stray's hand.

"You have to get it out. It's going to hurt, but you have to do whatever you're body is telling you to do." He said, trying to remember the way the other person spoke to the pregnant omega he had seen. "I'll be right here with you, okay?"

"I can't! It hurts too much! I feel like my insides are going to fall out."

"You have to. Do you want to die?" Stray shook his head. "Then you have to do it." Argo put his other hand around Strays. "When you feel that pain again, don't fight it. Let it do its thing. I promise I won't leave you."

Stray nodded, waiting for the next painful cramping.

"So... if you're not an omega-whore, then what do I call you?" Stray asked.

"Just Argo... I don't do what the others do."

"What do you mean? I came here to fix my rut just like other alphas do with omega-whores. It's literally the same thing."

Argo shrugged. "I've heard it a lot that I'm not the same as an omega-whore. It's... just really different from being with one of them, or so I'm told. Just being around me for two seconds is enough to calm any rut... so they say."

"Is that all you have to go on? Why do you just believe everything that everyone tells you? Do you not have your own opinion?"

"Why are you so mean? I'm just trying to help you and you asked me a question, so I answered it."

Stray sighed, leaning his head back. "I honestly didn't mean to offend you. You don't seem the type to lie but I don't know many genuine people in my life. Talking to you just keeps reminding me of that."

"So you're mad because I'm... truthful?"

"No. I'm mad at everything. I'm mad at the pain I'm in. I'm mad at why this happened, I'm mad that I have to endure everything by myself, I'm mad at my family for acting like they give two shits about me... just... everything."

Another wave of pain gripped Stray and he practically seized up, squeezing Argo's hand. Once it passed, he leaned back again.

"It's like giving birth without giving birth."

"I saw that once."

"What?"

"I saw an omega giving birth one time. It was... traumatizing. That's how I knew the smell. I snuck out once and when I turned the corner, an omega was giving birth in an alley. I got so scared that something would happen to me that I never tried to do it again."

"That's a shame; the world is an interesting place. You'll never get anywhere just staying in this room."

"If I stay in my room then I can help people."

"Help people, huh?" he said, his voice exhausted.

"I help alphas calm their ruts and make society a better place. I mean... if I wasn't here, where would you be?"

"Probably dead in my room like I was trying to do." He said with a chuckle.

Argo blinked quizzically at him. "You... wanted to die?"

"Anything was better than this. The only reason I even paid to be with you was so that when they checked my bank accounts after I died, my parents would think better of me."

Argo frowned. "Why don't your parents want you to be an omega? Is it really that bad?"

"Omegas are just a ticking time bomb. Once your heat hits, it's complete chaos. All those alphas around..."

"Um... what- what's a heat?"

Stray turned to the younger man, lifting an eyebrow. Did he say what I think he just said?

"Did you just ask me what a heat was?"

"Should I know?"

Stray was just about to say something when a very painful cramp overtook him and he screamed in agony, feeling like his stomach was about to fall through his pelvic floor. He'd put have to put it on the backburner and talk to him about it later. Right now, he had to get this over once and for all.

*******************

All night, Stray stayed in the bathroom with Argo by his side. The pain was worse than anything he had ever gone through. Every tightening of his stomach felt like his insides were being pulled through his pelvis. The sight was not pretty and he thought Argo was going to faint a couple of times, but they got through it. Finally, it seemed like the pain was subsiding and Argo helped him stand up so he could actually shower. Stray held onto the wall with shaky legs as he cleaned himself as best as his weak body would allow and he grabbed a towel. He walked out slowly, finding his suitcase near the door and some clothing taken out of it. Argo wasn't there but he assumed the clothes were for him. He took the clothes and was about to put them on when he felt something run down his leg. He pulled the towel tighter as the door opened and Argo walked back in.

"I don't know if this will help but I figured it was worth a try. I asked someone for something to stop the bleeding."

"Where are your guards? This can't be coincidence." He said tiredly, taking the rag thing from Argo

"I honestly don't know what's going on with them. Like I said before, I honestly think they never thought I would leave the room to realize they were gone. As long as they got back before the first client, I'd never know they were gone. I saw them downstairs in the eating area but I was able to get someone to give me that."

"Oh... What is it?"

"It's just a rag but it's clean and will help to soak up any remaining bleeding."

"Right... I'm going to change."

Argo nodded and walked over to the closet. He was so tired and physically exhausted. The stress of trying to keep Stray calm as well as his tendency to tense up with sympathy pains, he was almost as exhausted as Stray. He hoped he woke up on time for his first client. He shook his head though as he pulled some extra comforters from the linen closet, them out in his clothes closet.

Stray came back out, looking like he was about to pass out. He leaned on the wall to keep himself upright.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm making a pallet for you. I can't let you go back to your room."

"I can't fit in that closet."

"You're going to have to. I'm not allowed to have people in here after all appointments are over and I can't have you in my bed. The only other place is going to be a drawer, which I know you can't fit into either."

"Considering my hips feels like they were stretched open by two giant's fingers pulling at opposite sides, shouldn't I have the comfy bed?"

"I really wish I could let you have it (you deserve it), but if someone came in then I would need to hide you quickly or we would both get in a lot of trouble."

"I don't understand you. We barely know each other and yet you've done more than I can possibly imagine. Why are you doing this for me? What could I have possibly done to make you want to help me like this? Risk yourself like this?"

Argo shrugged, smoothing out a comforter. "Because."

"What do you gain out of this?"

"Maybe a friend?" he said, looking up at him. "I don't have any."

"How can you not have any friends?"

Argo stood up, motioning to the pallet. "The only time I get to leave is when Madam Rococco takes me out. Other than that, the clients are only here for a short while and when they are not here, I am just by myself."

"If you're looking for a friend then, again, why would you pick me? I'm not exactly the greatest person... I can't be an alpha and apparently I can't even do omega things right. What could you possibly want my friendship for?"

"I honestly don't know, Mr. Johansson. Maybe it's an unconscious thing due to us both being omegas or something. Maybe it's the smell that made me worry... I don't know why I wanted to help you but... I did. No one's keeping you here though. You're welcome to leave when you want."

Stray watched him walk over to his bed and climb into it. He sighed and went in the closet, laying down gently.

****************

It was a little cramped in the closet but he was surprised it wasn't as small as he imagined it. The comforters that Argo had given him were also nice and plush. Despite it all, without this double-omega, Stray would still be in massive pain and may very well had died. As much as he thought he wanted to die, he was happy to be alive. Which reminded him...

"How can you not know what a heat is?" Stray asked in the dark.

"It's never been discussed. Alphas have ruts and that's all I know. Someone mentioned a heat yesterday and he had the same reaction. I feel like it's something I should know about."

"A heat is the opposite/companion of a rut. Do you know what a rut is?"

"Not scientifically."

"Ruts are pure coursing pheromones that promote mating and sexual desire; they are only for alphas. Heats are what omegas have, but their pheromones promote the need to procreate. When an omega goes into heat, it can activate ruts if it's sudden or... accidental, same is said for a strong rut, it can activate a heat. Usually everyone knows the frequency of their rut or heat and can control it or make sure they aren't around people but... every once in a while, weird shit happens and it's damning for both parties. It's worse when it's the unexpected heat though..."

Argo looked at the wall in the dark, hoping his next question wouldn't cause a problem.

"Is... that what happened to you?"

Stray was silent and Argo thought he really pissed him off but he heard a small sniffle in the dark.

"Yeah..." he said, his voice thick from trying to hold back tears.

"But, I thought your pills helped you?"

"When they are the right counter-dosage. If you're going to mask your scent with something else, it has to be stronger than the original right? Well, that's what happened. My parents thought that the dosage on my alpha medication was fine, but I could tell they weren't working like they used to. Obviously it's not good to mess with hormones and pheromones like that, but if someone decides to dabble in it, it's something that costs a lot of money and has to go through a lot of red tape.

"That being the case, I had to have written consent from my parents to allow the doctor to charge them for a new month's worth of stronger medication. Because it's so hush-hush, I can't override my parent's consent unless they give the okay. They wouldn't give me or the doctor their consent and so... the heat I had been putting off due to the pills suddenly came out of nowhere. It hit like a ton of bricks and... things happened. Bad things... but my parents didn't care about me. You know what they asked me when they heard about the issue?"

"What?"

"They asked me if anyone knew it was me and if anyone saw my face. Can you believe that?" he asked with a sneer. "Not if anything had happened to me or if I was okay, just 'did Stray Johansson besmirch the Johansson House by exposing their best kept secret?' Luckily, it was an isolated incident in a non-crowded place, but what happened to me was real. You saw the result of that fiasco and they just try to sweep it under the rug like it was nothing."

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Mr. Johansson." Argo said, feeling upset about both the news about a heat as well as Stray's past experience.

"You can call me Stray. You've seen way too much of me to call me Mr. Johansson."

"Right... So, is that why you were surprised about what I said about your family looking for you?"

"Yeah. Unless it made the family look bad, they could give two shits about me and my whereabouts. I don't know why everyone was looking for me, but I know it wasn't out of worry."

"Oh..."

"Does that answer all of your questions?"

"Um, well, just one last one: do all omegas have heats?"

"At least once in their lifetime, I'm sure. Why? Have you not had yours?"

"I don't know."

"Trust me, you'd know." What a late bloomer! "So what am I supposed to do all day while you're with your clientele?" he asked with a yawn.

"I'm not sure." Argo said, yawning as well. "I guess just be as quiet as you can. You need to rest your body from all that pushing, so I have a feeling you'll probably be asleep most of the day. I'll split my breakfast and lunch with you if I can, and if the guards leave tomorrow night like they did tonight, you should be able to go back to your room if you're feeling better."

Stray nodded in the dark and turned over, pulling the plush comforter over him.

"Thank you for helping me, Argo. I'm not sure what made you want to try, but... it's nice to have someone around that seems to genuinely care."

"I'm sorry I ask so many questions."

He chuckled. "I'm sorry I was so mean. You have a right to ask questions when you don't know something, that's the only way you'll learn."

"Stray?"

"Yeah?"

"Are we friends?"

"No offense, but I just met you. I have no idea what the future holds."

"Oh..." Argo said, dejected.

Stray could tell he had hurt his feelings. "It's not that I don't want to be but let's just get through all this shit first, okay? Everything has been so tense and to be honest, I'd rather be friends because I want to, not because I feel I owe you, you know?"

"I guess."

"If it makes it any better, I do trust you."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Considering how my life has been, yes. Trust is the first part of becoming someone's friend and the most important, so..."

Argo smiled. "Okay."

"I'm sorry."

"I understand. Really, I do. Maybe it's because I'm dumb but I think everyone who's really nice to me is a friend so..."

"Listen to me, Argo: no one is ever your friend until they prove to be worthy of it. Everyone has their own standards, but don't ever let it just be because someone is nice. People are cruel and people are good at acting. They put on masks and smiles that have rotten motives behind it. I know you haven't out very much in this world, but never let 'being nice' be a factor for a friend."

"Why? Doesn't that mean they are kind?"

"What did I just say? People lie. And if you are naïve enough to let niceness be a huge factor, they will hurt you in more ways than one. Be smarter than that."

"Right..."

"Let's get to sleep. We can talk about these things tomorrow after your clients. I'm too tired to talk anymore."

Argo nodded in the night and soon they were both asleep.

+++++++++++++

this ended up being really long!

to be clear, in this universe, alphas CAN have children but there are stipulations. heterosexually, it's the normal process but otherwise, the 'carrying' alpha would have to take something that would allow for carry and they would not be able to give live birth. they would have to have a c-section, no excuses. all omegas can get pregnant from any alpha and all can have live births, male or female.

i will go into that more later on