Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Peter was always told that no matter what, his secondary gender did not define who he was. He was not weak, not someone who submitted to the 'stronger gender'. His parents, Richard and Mary Parker, enforced this rule on him since he presented at 15 years old. He was not allowed to submit to Alphas, not even a higher authority. Submitting resulted in a beating, and a beating resulted in the urge to nest and hide away. That was not allowed either.

His father made him take a higher education, wanting him to be educated and independent. He needed to learn how to survive alone in the world.

Uncle Ben and Aunt May moved to Ohio six years ago because Uncle Ben received a job offer he couldn't refuse. That was one month before Peter presented as an Omega, and because both his parents were Betas, he could no longer ask Aunt May how to act as a proper Omega. His Uncle Ben had always been with Aunt May, and his mother and father despised him for not allowing Peter to visit them anymore when they learned of his secondary gender.

Peter never understood why it was so bad that Uncle Ben always stayed by Aunt May's side all the time; it sounded nice to be protected and cared for. Peter could only dream about having someone to lean on when overwhelmed, which happens more often nowadays. 

Because Peter had been drilled with the lessons of independence for years, he no longer felt comfortable confiding in his parents when something was wrong. If he was hungry, he made himself food. Sad? He hid away in his room as silent tears streamed down his face.

Sick...

Shivers ran through Peter's body as he tried to focus. His teacher talked about something his brain couldn't quite catch up on, no matter how hard he tried. No matter how many layers he put on in the morning, he still shivered like it was freezing outside. The shivers never seemed to leave. He was tired and cold and just wanted to get home to his bed and sleep. He had no idea what was wrong, if it was just a cold or something more serious, but he had been shivering for the last 2 weeks, and it was only getting worse as the days went by.

"Parker!" Peter jolted out of his thoughts as his teacher yelled his name. 

"Sorry, Sir," Peter answered, looking up at Mr. Asher.

"I have called out to you three times now, Parker. If you can not focus on the subjects, I suggest you leave my classroom," Mr. Asher drawled, looking unimpressed at Peter's lack of attention.

"It won't happen again, Sir," Peter said, trying to focus his eyes on the board in front of his college classroom.

About 30 minutes later, the class was finished, and Peter hurriedly left the school grounds. His shift started in 15 minutes, and the bar was 20 minutes away on foot. His boss, Mr. Anderson, hated it when he was late, always giving off a horrid scent of mad Alpha. Peter has always been sensitive to scents, and Mr. Anderson's scent seemed slightly more bitter than other Alphas. He ran through the thick crowd of people, bumping into half of them as he tried to get to work as fast as possible. 

Seventeen minutes later, he rushed through the back doors of the bar. Mr. Anderson stood on the other side of the door, giving Peter an unimpressed look. It took all of his willpower not to bow his head in submission. The Alpha in front of him radiated anger, and he could feel his Omega whine in distress at being unable to submit, to show the regret of not showing up on time.

"This is the third time this week you've been late, Omega," the man sneered, folding his arms over his chest. Peter said nothing, knowing that no matter what he said, the Alpha would not care. "Get to work, you're closing tonight." Then Mr. Anderson turned and left.

Peter deflated, getting his phone out to look at the clock. It was 03 p.m., and the bar closed at 02 a.m. He honestly did not want to work an eleven-hour shift on a Friday night, and could feel a headache forming. He quickly changed into his uniform, showing off more skin than he was comfortable with, before getting onto the floor to serve the guests. 

He no longer counted how many sleazy alphas touched his thighs and hips as he walked through the crowd, serving table after table.

When his shift reached seven hours, he could feel his feet swell from the strain of walking nonstop. Mr. Anderson left explicit instructions that he was not to take a break before he left. Cody, the bartender, smirked at him when the instructions were given and promised to ensure that Peter worked until his shift was over. Nine hours into his shift, Peter could no longer keep his hands steady and tipped over at least four different trays of drinks. Cody yelled at him more times tonight than he ever had.

Peter could feel tears build up in his eyes, and he swallowed the feeling to start crying. 

Finally, Peter could close the bar after countless more encounters with creepy Alphas and a body that hurt more by the minute. He looked down at his uniform, stained with drinks he had spilled through the night. He knew he should change and bring the clothes home to wash, but he did not have the energy to do anything else tonight.

"Whatever," He muttered as he opened the back door, walking into the dark alleyway. The door was only two feet away from the sidewalk, letting some of the streetlights fill the space and letting him see what he was doing. He turned back, keys in hand, as he locked the door. He pulled the handle twice, checking that the door was locked. However, a sudden loud bang rang through the alleyway on the second pull.

Peter screamed, instinctively falling to his knees with his hands covering his ears. Somehow, he turned around, leaning back against the door with his knees pulled to his chest as more shots rang through the streets, morbid scents of angry Alphas filling his nose. It felt like no air was filling his lungs as his breathing increased. The smell of blood started to mix with the scents of the alphas. 

His vision started to fade into darkness as his Omega dragged him into a void of nothing, preparing him for pain.

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"Shit!" Tony yelled, shooting down another lackey. This was not how the meeting with Beck was supposed to go. They had scheduled it to reach an agreement, a treaty between the two mafias. They had been at each other's necks for six months, and Tony was done playing nice. Beck sending 20 of his untrained men to try to assassinate him was not a part of the plan. At least he could have sent someone a little more competent.

"Can you handle this?" Rodhey, his right-hand man, asked through the coms. 

"Do you even have to ask?" Tony answered, shooting the last man down. He turned to look at the others, making sure everyone was okay.

Bucky was behind a car, looking at him with a deadpan expression, clearly trying to convey that the men could not even touch him with their incompetence. Natasha was to his right, standing at the corner of a building with her gun still in hand, but the other Alpha looked unharmed. Clint was with Rodhey in the car, keeping an eye out on the police radio. 

That only left Steve.

"Has anyone seen Steve?" Tony asked, looking around for the blonde Alpha. It was not like him disappearing in the middle of a fight. Before anyone could answer Tony's question, the Alpha came up from behind him.

"Tony, we have a problem." Steve said, looking unsettled. "There's an Omega alone in an alleyway a block down."

His eyes widened, and he quickly walked down the alleyway in question. He pulled out his gun as he got close. It was rare to find an Omega alone. Alphas were protective creatures, some borderline possessive. An Omega was usually looked after by an Alpha or a trusted Beta when out at night. The chance of this being a trap was high, leading Tony to approach cautiously. As he turned the corner, a small Omega was curled up into a tight ball, not even 5 feet away from the opening of the Alleyway.

The poor thing was shaking like a leaf, his hands tightly clutching the sides of his head as whines broke through from his throat. Soft brown locks were locked between the digits of his fingers, pulling them uncomfortably. Tony could practically feel his heart break at the sight. 

"Hey, it's okay," Tony whispered as he approached the Omega, keeping his voice soft and his movements slow. You're okay; nobody is going to hurt you, Sweetheart."

Tony bent down in front of the Omega, close enough for the boy to reach out if he wanted, but not close enough to crowd the poor boy. The Omega whined a little louder, but this time, it was a whine calling out to an Alpha. He was calling out to someone who was supposed to be there to protect him; however, it sounded wrong. It was like the boy had no idea how to communicate it. 

Tony could only rumble in response, a sound he usually only made to calm those closest to him.

"I'll get the car. The police are only a few minutes out," Steve said as he walked away. Tony was happy that the blonde didn't stay, most likely making Omega extra uneasy.

"Hey, look at me," Tony said. His tone held a hint of command, making it easier for the Omega to move. He had more than enough experience with Loki, a mischievous Omega who was always looking for some fun by pranking others. 

What Tony did not expect when the Omega looked at him was to be met with gold.

The omega had dropped.

"Shit!"

Chapter Text

Tony stared at the bed in front of him, looking at the Omega shivering and whining in his sleep. He knew Pepper would kill him when she learned that they had practically kidnapped an Omega in the dead of night, but that was the last of Tony's worries.

When Tony had seen the gold in the boy's eyes, he knew that he couldn't leave the Omega in that alleyway, not that his Alpha would have let him anyway. Tony had made quick work of picking up the Omega, only stopping for a second when he felt how light the boy was. He growled at his teammates when they tried to get closer to check over both him and the new boy in the car, not wanting anyone near the boy when he was so vulnerable. 

They made it back home in record time, letting Tony carry the Omega to a guest bedroom. Now he was waiting for Bruce, their team doctor, to look over the Omega. Bruce, being an Omega, let Tony's Alpha calm down, knowing he wouldn't hurt the boy. 

A soft knock brought Tony out of his thoughts.

"Come in," He answered, still not taking his eyes off the Omega in front of him.

Bruce opened the door softly, peeking in to make sure everything was okay before entering.

"How is he?" Bruce asked, walking over to the bed with a small bag in hand. He set the bag down next to the bed, before softly grabbing the other Omega's wrist.

"He hasn't stopped shivering, not even after we covered him with a second blanket. He won't stop whining either, like he is in pain," Tony answered, keeping his voice steady. He could panic all he wanted in his head, but he had to stay calm around others. He knew he could trust his teammates, his pack, but he had to keep a strong front for the Omega.

Bruce answered with a hum, turning the boy's thin wrist to look at his scent glands. The winch the older Omega gave did not help with calming Tony's nerves at all.

"What?" Tony demanded, his shoulder tensing just a bit before relaxing.

"His scent glands are swollen and bruised. It's something most commonly seen in Omegas that's being neglected and/or abused," Bruce answered. He softly put down the younger Omega's wrist before moving to his neck.

The scent glands on the neck are the most prominent, producing the most pungent scent. The glands produce an oil meant to attract mates, as well as showing either submission for Omegas, or dominance for Alphas. That is one of the reasons why it's so crucial for Omegas to submit and Alpas to dominate. It's how the oil is produced and keeps the glands from bruising. When a scent gland is bruised, it hurts like hell whenever someone touches it. 

Frequent scenting from a trusted partner also helps with producing the oil. Usually, platonic scenting and cuddling is how they help Alphas or Omegas with bruised scent glands, helping them gradually make the oils again.

The glands in the wrists also produce said oil, and the glands on the inside of an Omega's thighs, just not as much.

Which means that, if Bruce found prominent bruising on the Omega's wrist, his neck would be much worse.

"Can you get me a cloth with some water? His neck is covered in makeup," Bruce asked, looking up at Tony. He could see anger shine in the older Omega's eyes, and chose not to comment; instead, he went to get a cloth. So that's why Tony never noticed any buising, it's because it was covered up.

When he returned, Bruce grabbed the cloth and carefully began to remove the makeup. The younger Omega whined at the touch, trying to pull away from the pain, even in his sleep. Tony bit back a growl as his Alpha started shouting in his head that they were hurting the Omega, but Tony knew this had to be done.

When the makeup was finally removed, the boy's neck was on full display. 

"This is one of the worst cases of neglect I've seen in a while," Bruce said breathlessly as he stared at the boy's neck. From his nape and down, there was a patch of deep purple bruising. Bruce carefully shifted the boy's shirt down to see how far it went, and it was clear that it went down the boy's chest, most likely to the mid-chest area. Tony could only stare wide-eyed, not finding the worst to respond.

Tony had only seen a similar case once in his life, and that was with Loki. Maybe he could get Loki down here to help the boy settle...

Bruce continued with his check-up, ensuring he got a blood test to confirm everything else was fine.

"He is malnourished, and needs to be slowly introduced to scenting so his scent glands can start producing oils again. I recommend asking if he has another Omega he trusts in his life that can help him. An Alpha's scent can do more harm than good in the beginning. I'll create a meal plan for him to gain weight, which should also help alleviate some of the constant shivering. Assuming this is a case of neglect, letting him nest would help with the rest. Not having a safe place is most likely causing his inner omega such turmoil," Bruce stated as he packed up his bag.

"Anything else?" Tony asked, storing the information away. Bruce gave him a look, as if contemplating what to say next. He sighed before heading towards the door.

"I also recommend getting Loki here; he could be a big help with helping the Omega settle. He has enough experience with this kind of neglect."

"Was already thinking about it," Tony answered. Bruce gave a short nod before walking out the door.

Tony stood there, seconds, minutes, hours, who knows. The information he just got on Omega's health was a lot. He grew up in a shit household himself, but it was never this bad.

Tony walked up to the Omega lying under the two plaid blankets he managed to find in the closet. He carefully ran the back of his fingers over the boy's forehead, adjusting the boy's dark brown locks of hair away from his closed eyes. The Omega whined as he unconsciously leaned into the touch before cowering away like it burned him. Even in his sleep, he pulled back from the touch of comfort, even though he so clearly craved it. 

Tony pulled back before pulling out his phone, then he shot a text to Loki.

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Green eyes stared at the boy on the bed, familiar-looking bruises peaking from underneath the sleepshirt. When Loki got Tony's text about an Omega in need, he thought the Alpha was exaggerating about the situation. Loki knew all about these kinds of bruises and the pain they cause. 

Giving a quiet sigh, the older Omega sat himself in the chair that Tony brought in earlier. He didn't want to crowd the younger Omega in the only safe space he had right now, meaning getting onto the bed while the boy was unconscious was out of the question. It was quiet in the room, only the sound of soft breathing from the bed filling the space. Loki never minded the quiet, often finding comfort in it. The times it was quiet were the only times he could get away from the pain and suffering inflicted on him daily. The quiet meant he was alone, and no one could hurt him anymore.

Darkness, screaming, a fist in his hair, dragging him up uneven steps. The blindfold was always the worst punishment.

A quiet whine brought Loki back to the present. Looking up, he saw the boy curling in on himself, brows furrowed in distress. 

"Shh, it's going to be okay," Loki whispered. He carefully brought his hand up to the boy's wrist before slowly soothing a finger over the bruised scent gland. The action was not a direct scenting action, but a way for the younger Omega to get accustomed to the possibility of being scented in the future. All kind of skin-to-skin contact leaves a faint scent, but going scent gland-to-scent gland and soothing the oils over the glands is the actual action needed to scent someone.

The whimpering stopped, and slowly, the boy's eyes started to sliver open. According to Tony, the boy's eyes had been clear gold when they found him. Now, they were a version of central heterochromia. Gold is slowly melting into a beautiful brown.

That's good, that means the younger Omega is not too far gone.

The Omega's eyes slowly shifted towards Loki, before blinking at him. The action reminded the older Omega of a confused puppy, and Loki couldn't help but give the younger a soft smile. He could feel his heart twist at the thought of this Omega being hurt. Before the boy could panic about the situation, Loki decided to introduce himself. 

"Hello, it's nice to meet you. My name is Loki, and you are currently at our pack's residence. You're safe here," Loki said gently, keeping his voice low and calm. The Omega blinked at him again, clearly trying to process his words.

This is the part Loki both hated about being in a drop. Everything feels fuzzy and disorienting. Words flow together and are harder to understand, scents are 10 times stronger, and they make everything feel overwhelming. Loki gave the younger time to process the words, the scents, the sounds around him. 

"M'Peter," The Omega mumbled, so quiet that Loki almost missed it. Loki smiled at him, oddly proud of the younger.

"It's nice to meet you, Peter. I know everything might be very overwhelming right now, but you're doing a great job." Peter looked at him wide-eyed, and Loki suddenly wondered if he had said something wrong. Could he have said something to offend him already?

"Good?" Peter whisped, and Loki could feel his heart break in his chest. The crack was sudden, and painful, and oh so familiar. He gave the boy a sad smile, still using his finger to soothe Peter's wrist.

"Yeah, you're doing really well. I know you might be very confused about what might be happening right now, huh?" Peter gave a slow nod, lifting his head to look around the room. 

It honestly surprised him that Peter hadn't panicked yet. Waking up in the room he didn't know, with an Omega he had never met. It had to be a scary experience, but Loki didn't mention it. Keeping the younger feel calm and safe was his priority right now.

"How?" The boy whispered, looking back at him once again. Clearly, Peter was an Omega who went close to non-verbal when he dropped, most likely completely non-verbal in a bad one. Again, Loki didn't mention the one-word questions, letting Peter choose his pace.

"How did you get here?" Loki asked, making sure he got the question right. Peter nodded the best he could, lying down, looking down at the finger caressing his wrist. Loki could see the moment the touch registered in Peter's mind, and spoke up before he had the chance to move away. "Tony, my pack Alpha, found you in an alley last night. You had dropped and were on your own. He couldn't leave you like that, and decided that the safest option was to bring you to our pack house."

Peter looked up at him again, giving him a weird look.

"Dropped?" Peter asked quietly, looking confused. Loki nodded, giving him a comforting smile.

"Yes, you had dropped. Do you feel any pain or discomfort?" Peter gave him a shrug, looking down at his wrist again, where Loki had yet to pull away.

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Peter was confused. He had woken up in a hazy state, the words spoken to him drifting through his head in a misty haze. An Omega he had never met before was sitting in front of him, looking at Peter as if he were worth something. The soft look the older Omega gave him made the haze in Peter's head want to take over again. No one had looked at him like that in such a long time; it made his chest hurt with want.

Peter looked at the finger caressing his wrist. The soft touch was such a strange feeling, one he had not known for a long time. Peter knew he should pull away, knew he should not let himself feel comforted by the touch of another, but...

This man was an Omega, like him. The last Omega he had met was his Aunt May years ago. If Loki was touching him, it had to mean it was okay, right?

Slowly, he shifted his other hand that was still under the blanket, reaching for the older Omega's hand.

Would he be angry? Disgusted by the fact that Peter had touched him without permission? He let his finger barely touch the older Omega's hand before pulling away quickly, looking at the other for some kind of reaction.

He was not met with anger or disgust, as he had expected. There was a soft smile, his green eyes such beautiful green eyes  soft. 

"It's okay, you're allowed to express yourself however you want here," He said softly, slowly turning his hand in an invitation. 

Peter stared for a moment, looking for some kind of indication that the man was joking.  Was this some sort of trick to see if Peter sought comfort in something he shouldn't? Would his parents barge in through the door, yelling at him for being a useless Omega? He took a deep, shuddering breath before reaching out again. Slowly, Peter hooked his finger together with the older Omega. He clenched his eyes shut, waiting for the screaming, the punching. 

None of that happened. 

Loki didn't tighten his hold, nor loosen it. He kept his hand steady, letting Peter control the situation. He started at the connected fingers in the winder, linking slowly as he tried to process what was happening.

This had to be a dream. Peter was not allowed this. He was not permitted comfort, and touch, and safety...

Oh, how exhausted he was of living this life. Peter closed his eyes, not wanting to live in this dream world anymore. He didn't want to experience a world he could never have...

He didn't want to give himself the false sensation of hope.

Chapter Text

Peter didn't move for what felt like a lifetime. Hours or minutes could have passed, he didn't know. Time seemed to move like the ocean in a storm, the waves rocky and uneven. Loki didn't move away, though. He kept running that soft finger over his wrist, soothing the prominent bruising.

"Wake up, when?" Peter decided to ask after a while, carefully opening his eyes. The sentence was short and incomplete, and heavy shame settled in his chest. He couldn't even form a normal sentence. Had his father seen him like this, Peter would have gotten the beating of this century. However, the Omega in front of him showed no such anger. If Peter could live a life in which that soft smile was directed at him more often, he would live a fulfilled life.

"When will you be waking up?" Loki clarified, his voice just as soft as his smile. Peter nodded in response, his finger twitching where their hands still lay connected. "Why do you think you are dreaming, Darling?"

And didn't that nickname just make Peter melt a little more?

"Too good." It was the only thing Peter managed to say, but the words conveyed his message. All of this was too good. Touch so soft that his nerves finally relaxed, not always in agony. Words spoken like Peter deserved something other than harsh discipline and degradation. Soft blankets lie around him like a protective layer of warmth, not scratching at his skin until he wants the layers to peel off. This is a fantasy only his own mind could create, too good to be out in a world Peter knows only wants to cause him pain.

"You think what you're getting right now is too good to be true?" Peter nodded in response. Considering how little Peter can speak, the older Omega seems to understand everything he wants to convey. It makes the shame in his chest lighten just a bit, but it still sits on it like a ton of bricks. "Well, I am happy to tell you that this is no dream. You are safe here, Darling."

Turning a sceptical eye to the other, Peter slowly pushes himself into a sitting position. The blackets around him fall to his lap, revealing his bruised chest. He ignores it, slowly moving his legs to hang from the side of the bed. His feet didn't reach the floor, but when Peter looked at his ankles, that was probably for the best. His ankles were heavily swollen, and that seemed to kickstart his brain to remember what happened before he passed out.

Work, touches, pain, loud bangs, nothing...

Peter whipped his head up to look at Loki, anxiety gripping his chest, taking over the shame.

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The moment Peter had whipped his head up in his direction, Loki knew that the smaller Omega remembered the night before. Fear laced his face as tears started to fill those soft, round eyes, and all Loki could do was give him space. Trying to calm the younger one down with a calming scent would only confuse him. It was clear that Peter didn't know comforting touches, why would scents be any different?

"Darling, you are safe here. Nothing can harm you here, not when I am here with you. Last night must have been a lot, but nothing from yesterday can get you here." Loki soothed, keeping his voice soft and calm. He would do Peter no good by adding urgency to his words. They had the time to take things slow, and that is what he would do.

It seemed to reach Peter's ears as well, because the fear was slowly overridden with confusion. His eyes didn't go completely gold either, meaning Peter was still able to keep himself from dropping further.

"Work, I need to go to work!" It was the first complete sentence Peter spoke, and the first sentence that riddled Loki's mind with confusion.

"What do you mean that you need to get to work, Peter? Is that where you came from last night?" Loki asked, looking at the younger Omega with concern. 

It wasn't unusual for Omegas to work, however, they usually worked with their Alphas or a trusted Beta. Most Omegas thrive on routine and structure, and being able to work with someone they trust and can lean on helps immensely. Loki himself handled the Mafia's finances, like all payments going in and out through him. Having his pack Alpha as his boss and his brother as a coworker helped him settle in at work and get through what he needed more efficiently. And, according to what Tony told him, Peter was found alone.

"Need to get back," Peter answered, moving to stand up.

"Darling, you're hurt. You need to heal before going back to work," Loki stated, laying a soothing hand on his upper arm. He was careful not to touch his neck or wrist, knowing that too much force would cause the younger Omega immense pain. When Peter stared at him in disbelief but didn't try to get back up, he continued. "You are hurt and clearly need the rest. It is okay to slow down every once in a while, take a deep breath, and loosen your muscles."

"No, not allowed," Peter was quick to shake his head, his voice quivering. 

"Why are you not allowed?" Loki asked, careful not to put force behind his words. He wanted Peter to open up at his own pace.

"Need to work. Be independent," Peter answered, looking at Loki like he would understand. The worst thing was, he did. He did understand the pressure of having to be strong and independent, having to reach an impossible goal of overcoming his instincts, and ignore what he so desperately needed.

"How about this? You stay here for the next few days, trying to get some rest and heal." Peter opened his mouth, a frown tugging at his lips, but Loki didn't let him speak. "My pack Alpha and I will go to your workplace and explain to your boss that you won't be in for a few days while you try to sleep. If you're fine after at least three days, you can go back to work. How does that sound?"

Peter looked at him, clearly divided between the desire to rest and the need to follow the orders of those in charge of him. 

"He won't understand," Peter whispered after a while, the protest weak.

"We will make him understand," Loki answered, carefully gathering Peter's smaller hands in his. "Get some rest, Darling, I won't be gone for long."

Loki stayed by the smaller's side until his breaths evened out and Peter's grip went slack in his. He waited until he knew the younger was in a deep sleep and less likely to wake for a while. It was when he stood and walked out of the guest bedroom that he remembered he should have asked Peter where he worked, but figured Tony could easily find out this information on his own. He walked the familiar hallways, memories of his past haunting him all the way to Tony's office. 

He knocked on the door and walked in before he got an answer.

"Are you available to join me at the Omega's place of work? He is expected to come in today," Loki asked, meeting Tony's tired gaze.

"Yeah, you know where he works?" The Alpha asked, looking back at his computer.

"No, but his name is Peter. From what I could gather, he had just finished work when you found him last night. Are you able to find him with this information?" 

"Of course, give me a second," Tony started typing away on his computer, his brows furrowed in quiet concentration. After a minute, a harsh scowl formed on his lips. His following words came out in a snarl, "He works at a fucking bar. He's a waiter."

Loki felt as if his whole body had been thrown into an icy body of water. A bar meant alcohol, alcohol meant drunk alphas, and drunk alphas meant...

"Let's go." That was all he managed to say, his voice cracking with fear and fury.

Chapter Text

As soon as he and Loki had walked through the bar doors, sleazy Alphas that had no right to be as drunk as they were at 4 pm were already trying to touch up the Omega's legs. The rage that was building up in his chest at the sight had Tony take a deep breath to calm himself, only to smell the sharp scent of alcohol and horny Alphas. He didn't step in between the Alpha and Omega, knowing that Loki would like to stand up for himself in these situations. When Loki slapped those hands away from his thighs with a growl, the manager, Mr. Anderson, was quick to walk up to them with a crooked smile.

"Sir, we ask that you control your Omega and don't let him be aggressive towards the other customers." The man said with an easy-going smile. Tony could feel his eyebrow twitch with annoyance, but was quick to fight down the urge to let that annoyance show any more than that.

"Excuse me? Your customers are touching an Omega inappropriately without permission, and you dare tell me that it is not within his right to protect himself?" Tony kept his voice calm as he spoke, but his rage seethed beneath the words. "You are the owner of this establishment, correct?"

"That would be correct, and who might you be?" The man snarked back, giving him a heated glare. The drunk Alphas around them slowly walked away, going back to their drinks and games.

"Not someone you should concern yourself with as of yet. I'm here to talk to you about one of your employees, Peter Parker?" Tony answered. He had gotten the Omega's full name when he searched up this place of employment, making it easier to communicate who he was talking about. Loki gave a huff beside him, giving the man a heated glare.

"What has that boy done now?" The Alpha before them muttered underneath his breath, clearly not thinking that they would hear him. "Of course, we can talk in my office."

Tony and Loki were led through the bar, walking between many rowdy Alphas, some giving Loki a whistle as they walked past. Tony gave them all a glare that made them turn back around, grumbling lowly. Tony knew that the Omega could protect himself if he needed to, but his Alpha was pacing back and forth in agitation at the treatment of one of his packmembers. The fact that Loki was walking just a little closer than he usually would didn't help calm his Alpha at all. As they walked towards the back, Tony looked over to the bartender to see a pleased smile on his face. Seemed like some of the employees were pleased with their place of work.

"Come in," Mr. Anderson welcomed as he opened the door to his office, sitting down behind his desk. They followed after, sitting down in the uncomfortable chairs before him. "Now, you had a complaint about one of my employees?" The man asked, folding his thick hands onto the desk.

"We never said anything about a complaint." Loki sneered, his hands twitching in his lap. The Alpha ignored the Omega completely, looking at Tony instead. Tony forced the growl working its way up his throat, down, trying to keep a calm composure. 

"As my colleague said, we never uttered a word about having a complaint." Mr. Anderson's expression tightened at the words, but he didn't say anything. "Mr. Parker won't be able to return to work for the next few days." Tony was quick to interrupt the man when he opened his mouth. "The reasons for his leave are not something you need to concern yourself with, either. Just know that his earliest return will be on Wednesday, if he is able to come into work by then." 

"It's a Saturday night, the boy needs to come in today. We're short-staffed without him." The man sneered, looking agitated. 

"What, you have no one to cover his shift?" Tony raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "It is clear that this bar is quite popular. I doubt an establishment that has this many customers this early in the day can't afford to give one person leave for a few days."

"You wouldn't understand. The Omega needs to be in today." Tony could see sweat forming on the Alpha's forehead. He narrowed his eyes at the man, suspicion starting to swirl around in his head.

"There are regulars, aren't there?" Loki suddenly spoke up, his words tight with disgust. "You need Peter in today because an Omega in a bar like this attracts a crowd of high-paying customers that can get away with whatever they want, as long as they pay for it, and with a boss that doesn't care for his well-being, that would be easy," Loki growled, his fingers digging into his own thighs. Tony spoke up before Loki could work himself into a rage.

"Peter Parker will not be coming in today. That's final." Mr. Anderson glared at him as he spoke. "You should also start to look for a new place of employment, considering your boss will be getting an e-mail within the next few hours, giving them an offer they can't refuse," Tony smirked, pleased as panic began to show in the man's eyes.

"You can't do that," The Alpha growled, standing up as if that would intimidate him. 

"I'm Tony Stark, I can do whatever the hell I want," He answered, standing up from his chair. Mr. Anderson's face fell at the name, and he looked at him in panic. "Enjoy your last day." That was all he said before they walked out.

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Peter was still fast asleep by the time they got back. Loki walked up to the sleeping Omega, carefully removing the hair that had fallen onto his face in his sleep. When the boy started to stir, he spoke up calmly.

"Darling, it's almost dinner. You need to eat something," Loki soothed, sitting down on the side of the bed. Peter blinked slowly, looking up at him with exhaustion still clinging to his features. The smaller Omega hummed in response, but didn't make any moves to get up. Loki chuckled, rubbing his thumb over the boy's cheek. "Come on, sleepy head." Peter looked at him for a second before sitting up, stretching his arms before him.

"Am I meeting your Alpha?" The Omega asked, and Loki couldn't keep the smile off his face at the complete sentence.

"That's up to you," Loki answered, running his hand through Peter's brown curls. "You can either join our pack and eat dinner in the dining room, or I can bring our dinner to your room, and we can eat here," Loki explained, offering Peter two options. Peter leaned into the palm of his hand as he thought, likely not knowing about his own actions.

"Are they nice?" Peter asked, then cringed at his own words. "Sorry, of course they're nice. I didn't mean to disrespect your pack!"

"Calm, Darling, it's okay," Loki smiled, soothing the boy's nerves. "Though they might look intimidating, all of them are very nice. They have been very worried about your well-being since you were brought to us, but have kept their distance so as not to overwhelm you." Peter nodded at his words, seeming to trust them. "We can always try, and if you feel overwhelmed, we can come back here and eat instead.

When Peter nodded in agreement, Loki shot a quick text to the pack to warn them about their new dinner guest. He knew how rowdy, and in some cases, blind, the others could get at the prospect of meeting new Omegas. Bruce has been part of the pack since Rhohdey, Tony, and he went to college together. The older Omega had always welcomed a hug or cuddle from his packmates. It wasnæt until Loki joined and Clint got stabbed in the thigh for hugging him from behind that they learned that not all Omegas were brought up in a loving home, protected and provided for. Bruce was also a special case, considering his Guarding Beta worked at the college, making it easier for him to get the physical contact he needed until he joined his own pack.

"Let's go and meet the pack then, shall we?" Loki smiled and offered his hand to Peter.

─── ❤ ── დ ── ❤ ───

Peter looked around in awe as the older Omega walked him through the halls. From how big this place seemed to be, he must be in some sort of mansion, meaning the Alpha owning this place must be rich. Peter forced down the nerves that wanted to build from that thought, knowing how some wealthy people treated people like him. Instead, he took in the beautiful halls and their decor. He never would have thought that he would step foot in a place like this, and he knew that an opportunity like this wouldn't come again. 

"This is awesome," He whispered as they came to a stop in front of a large staircase, leading to what he assumed was the front door. They walked down the stairs and turned right into another hallway. The door at the end was closed, but Peter could hear people talking on the other side.

"Remember, if you feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed at any point, just squeeze my hand, and we can go back to your room," Loki said as they came to a stop in front of the door. Peter tried not to cling to the 'your room' part of that sentence, knowing it is most likely a slip of the tongue. 

Loki opened the door, and the voices he had heard earlier all calmed to a stop. As they walked in, with Peter half-hiding behind Loki, all eyes turned to them. He looked between all the new people, feeling overwhelmed with all the eyes on him, but didn't squeeze Loki's hand. He wanted to thank the person who helped him last night, and he couldn't do that if he turned tail and ran. Loki led them to two open chairs at the end of the table, with what must be the Alpha sitting at the end.

Peter works hard not to stare at the man. He had seen his fair share of hot Alphas, but this man was in a league of his own.

"Stop staring, you fools. You're making him nervous," Loki suddenly teased as he sat down, and all Peter could do was stare at the other omega in bewilderment. Sure, Peter had been taught to never submit to authority since he presented, but it never even crossed his mind to talk like that to them. It seemed to work because everyone turned back to their earlier conversation. Loki turned and gave him a smile.

Peter smiled back before turning to his plate, working up the courage to talk to the man who saved him the day before.