Much shorter than usual, but here's some 2AM angst that I wrote while I was waiting on my phone to charge up (for more Genshin lol).

TW: Mentions of blood and injury (scraped knee), implied gaslighting and manipulation, threatening, intimidation, crying, sort of a panic attack scene (non-descriptive), abuse of power

Scaramouche returned to school a week later, learning quickly that his mother blamed his absence on the fact that he contracted the flu. He sat in his seat in Mr. Kamisato's math class, where he sat behind Kazuha, a very sharp alpha. He was on the track team with Gorou, but also did fencing and martial arts in his free time, not necessarily associated with Teyvat Prep. In fact, he and Mr. Kamisato's sister, Ayaka, both attended the same private lessons for fencing.

Thoma sat at Mr. Kamisato's desk, grading a set of homework papers while Mr. Kamisato cleaned his whiteboard. The entire whiteboard. Scaramouche internally groaned; whenever the whole whiteboard was wiped down, a lengthy lecture was at foot. Thoma was an intern under Mr. Kamisato. He'd graduated from Teyvat himself a few years prior and was currently studying to become a teacher himself.

The classroom filled and Mr. Kamisato's voice drifted away as Scaramouche found himself aimlessly sketching on his notes. It didn't matter, anyway, as Thoma would come to collect his homework the next day instead. Scarmouche's aimless lines eventually became small sketches of greyscale animals.

Kazuha looked back to pass back the homework, Mr.  Kamisato being fond of the 'take one, pass it down the row' method. "Nice sketches. You're in the art club, aren't you, Scaramouche?"

"No." Scaramouche responded, passing the worksheets behind him.

"You should apply. I'll bet you could rival Albedo." Kazuha offered, clicking his pencil to get more lead out.

"Haha. Very funny." Scaramouche responded, not realizing how sour his scent had gotten.

"I'm not joking." Kazuha said genuinely, seeming to have noticed the new omega scent, no matter how faint it was under the blocker. Kazuha had inherited Beidou's already sharp senses, and they were no doubt honed based on his hobbies' needs.

"Mmhm." Scaramouche clicked, not really believing him.

"I'm serious, Scaramouche." Kazuha smiled, leaning back in his seat.

Scara shoved him forward. "Do your work."

***

"Hold still, Ajax." Thoma said, carefully drying off Childe's knee, splotchy spots of blood appearing on the bleached towel. "What happened? You don't normally fall."

"I must've slipped." Childe said, wincing as Thoma applied hydrogen peroxide to his knee.

"Happens to the best athletes every now and then." Thoma chuckled, applying ointment and a bandage to his knee. "But really, is anything going on? It's ok, as your coach I promise you nothing will leave here, ok?"

"Nothing happened. I've just been busy... y'know, fall midterms and such." Childe lied with an awkward chuckle.

Thoma didn't believe him, but it was enough for the alpha to practically smell stress off the swim team captain, so he didn't press the matter. Thoma had also done swim when he attended Teyvat Prep a few years prior, so naturally he'd applied to be the coach during his internship at the school. He helped Childe up.

"Go ahead and get changed." Thoma offered Ajax a warm smile. "Go get some rest."

Childe nodded and did so, changing and leaving the locker room with a sigh. He quietly wandered the halls, which were softly lit by the campfire hues of the sunset. He walked to his dorm, on the same floor as Scaramouche, just down the hall. It was late afternoon, but the time where most clubs were meeting.

"Hello, Tartaglia~!" A familiar blonde, one Childe DREADED, tossed her arm around his shoulder. "I haven't seen you lately. Have you been avoiding me? You haven't answered any of my texts."

"Oh, sorry, Signora... I've been busy. Y'know, swim season, exams, stuff I need to get done." Childe responded.

"Oh, what a shame..." Signora's voice was a malevolent purr. "I mean, the swim team could always take a break."

"I can't take a break–" Childe was cut off.

"Oh, can't you? After all, they'd give you time off if they found out their darling captain was not only an omega, but he's been lying and taking experimental drugs too. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think drugs that give you alpha characteristics count under performance enhancing, don't they?" Signora let off a triumphant smirk when Childe was silent. "Or better yet, it'd be a shame if you were to get pupped, don't you think?"

Childe grunted as the blonde alpha slammed him into the wall, her fangs bared. "Tread lightly, Tartaglia, lest you want to receive more... effective... punishment."

She shoved the teary omega, clearly frightened, away with a smirk. She left without a word, leaving the redhead frozen until she was out of sight. When she was, he ran. He ran to his dorm, throwing himself behind his locked door and into his bed, his nest, his sanctuary. He hugged his plush narwhal close with a choked sob. Just what he needed- Signora reminding him of his role in this cruel, harsh world.

He was an omega; he would always be inferior.