Chapter Text
The noise crashed around Robby.
Families filled every hallway, helping the new students move into campus housing, their conversations blending into an overwhelming wall of sound that made his ears ache.
There were so many people he could barely squeeze past them.
Thankfully, all he had with him were two boxes and his backpack. Anything more, and getting through the crowded hallways and stairwells would've been impossible.
The residence hall he'd been assigned to sat a little farther away from the rest of campus, but according to his academic advisor, it was reserved for students with the highest admission scores. Hopefully, today was the only time he'd have to deal with this kind of chaos.
He already had enough on his plate without having to put up with crowds every day.
His grandmother would've told him to stop being such a grump and try making some friends...
But she was gone.
She'd died a week ago, leaving Robby completely alone.
So it didn't really matter what she would've said anymore. There was no one left to worry about his decisions except himself.
Right now, all he wanted was to reach his room, lock the door, put on his headphones at full volume, and disappear into his own little world until his first class the next morning.
The left wing of the building seemed noticeably quieter. Even though the rooms were doubles, they were spread far apart, with no rooms directly across the hall or right next door.
It was... comforting.
He wouldn't have to run into too many people, and better yet, his room was on the top floor, where there were only three other rooms, each far enough apart that everyone could mind their own business.
His only real concern was making sure nobody discovered he was an Omega.
The residence hall was reserved exclusively for Alphas and Betas. The first three floors housed the Betas in standard double rooms packed closely together, while the upper floors were reserved for Alphas, who were given larger rooms with plenty of privacy.
Robby knew he was playing with fire.
An Alpha going into rut—or even losing control of their pheromones—could easily trigger his own heat.
Still, he'd already come up with a contingency plan.
The university allowed Alphas to take temporary leave if they felt they were at risk of losing control during a rut.
If the same thing ever happened to him, he'd simply request the leave, drive out to his grandparents' cabin, and ride out his heat in complete isolation.
In theory, it should work.
Still, Robby intended to account for every possible variable before anything could go wrong.
He refused to give up a room like this simply because society considered Omegas too weak for medicine.
If anyone discovered what he was, he'd be transferred to the nursing program immediately. And while Robby respected nurses more than anyone, that wasn't the future he wanted.
He wanted to be a doctor.
A doctor who was good at his job.
And the first step toward becoming one was making sure nobody could take that dream away from him.
With that thought in mind, he finally pushed open the door to his assigned room.
Just as he'd expected, someone had already arrived.
Or rather... someone's belongings had.
Boxes, clothes, and random belongings were piled everywhere, spilling into Robby's side of the room. He simply rolled his eyes before walking toward the empty bed.
It happened to be the one that would get the morning sun.
"I hope you don't mind, but I should warn you—I'm terrible in the mornings. Me and the sun? We're not exactly friends."
Robby nearly jumped.
A deep, rough voice came from behind him, startling both him and the Omega instincts that immediately wanted to hide.
He forced himself not to react before turning around.
Freckles.
Curly hair.
A mischievous smile.
And bright blue eyes filled with endless amusement and curiosity.
"Well, that's perfect then. The sun and I get along just fine. My grandma always said I'm like a houseplant—I survive on sunlight."
Robby's voice came out flatter than he'd intended, but the Alpha only laughed.
"Problem solved, then. I was going to suggest switching beds every month or something."
Robby swallowed as the Alpha's smile somehow became even warmer.
Then the Alpha held out a hand.
Robby instinctively reached for it, but the boxes got in the way. After awkwardly rearranging them so he could hold everything with one arm, he finally managed to take the Alpha's hand.
Which, apparently, was a terrible mistake.
His inner Omega practically purred in delight at the touch.
Behave, he scolded himself immediately.
He couldn't afford to react like this around an Alpha.
Especially not this Alpha.
The Alpha only watched with an amused grin as Robby struggled to juggle the boxes.
"I'm Jack Abbot. But everyone calls me Jack. Let me guess—you’re in Medicine too?"
Jack... his Omega whispered dreamily.
Enough, Robby answered sharply.
His Omega only laughed like a mischievous child.
"I'm Michael Robinavitch, but everybody calls me Robby. And yeah... Medicine."
The Alpha smiled.
"Well, Mike, I hope we can keep the peace. Full disclosure—according to my family and friends, I snore like an old diesel engine if I sleep more than six hours. I also have a weird addiction to energy drinks, leave the cans lying around everywhere, and I like blasting music while I study."
Robby couldn't help smiling.
"Well, Abbot, I hope so too. I don't mind the snoring—according to my grandma, I sleep like the dead as long as I know exactly how many hours I'm getting. I won't complain about the cans if you bribe me with one of those energy drinks every now and then."
He nodded toward the scattered boxes.
"And as for the music... we can take turns being the DJ."
A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Or we could just make one playlist with songs we both like."
Jack's grin only grew wider.
"I like the playlist idea," Jack said. "And the energy drinks are easy enough. What about you? Got any bad habits I should know about?"
Robby actually had to think about it.
"I have absolutely no tolerance for the cold, so the thermostat stays at seventy-eight. Hoodies and blankets don't really help. I leave books everywhere—usually open—and I have a bad habit of writing notes in the margins, even if they aren't mine. Sorry in advance. Oh... and I somehow lose my socks all the time. Sometimes they end up on other people's pillows."
Jack laughed, a genuine, unrestrained laugh.
"Okay, as long as they don't smell, I can live with that. I don't mind the thermostat either, as long as you don't mind me walking around shirtless. And the books..." He shrugged. "I'll forgive you if your notes help me pass exams."
Robby nearly choked.
His Omega perked up far too quickly at the thought of seeing the Alpha shirtless.
He forced himself to snort dismissively before Jack could notice the effect those few words had on him.
His imagination was dangerous enough on its own.
If it ever stopped being just his imagination...
His Omega would become the real problem.
And it would undoubtedly act like a shameless little slut around Jack.
"Oh, so that's it?" Robby deadpanned. "Just showing off for those of us who got height instead of muscles?"
"Absolutely," Jack answered without missing a beat. "I've got to compensate somehow. I didn't inherit my brothers' height."
Robby let out another quiet snort.
"You'd make a fascinating case study in Psych. Seriously, don't ever say that out loud in class—they'll recruit you for research."
Jack's laughter shook their joined hands.
That's when Robby realized...
The Alpha still hadn't let go.
"Uh... I'm gonna need that hand back. They're only two boxes, but they're heavy."
Jack didn't answer.
He simply looked at Robby with such quiet intensity that his Omega shivered all over again.
"Need some help?"
Robby shook his head twice.
Not because he didn't need help.
But because some small part of him wanted Jack to stay.
Close.
The realization made him mentally scold his Omega again.
"You sure?" Jack asked, never looking away.
For a second, Robby could've sworn the Alpha was staring straight through him.
Without thinking, he nodded again.
A satisfied smile spread across Jack's face.
Still holding Robby's hand, he walked past him, gently guiding him toward his side of the room.
Robby's heart pounded so hard against his ribs he was sure his legs were shaking.
Only when they reached his bed did Jack finally let go—and only so he could lift the top box.
Robby set the other one on the mattress before slipping off his backpack.
"That one's got my sheets, blanket, and pillow. There are a few books in there too. Could you put those on that shelf?"
He didn't dare look Jack in the eye. He simply mumbled the request while unpacking the second box.
Most of it consisted of textbooks, study supplies, a few decorations for his side of the room...
...and very little clothing.
He'd have to buy more eventually.
Once his monthly stipend came in.
And once he figured out there was such a thing as clothing besides hoodies and jeans.
"I'm not judging," Jack said, "but this is... kind of depressing."
Robby looked up.
"You've got books, like... five T-shirts, three pairs of pants, bedding..." Jack paused before pulling something out of the box.
"...and a stuffed rabbit?"
Robby immediately blushed and gently took Mr. Bunny from his hands.
"It was my grandma's."
He hesitated.
"I mean... it is. She..." His voice caught. "She passed away last week."
The familiar knot tightened painfully in his chest.
"I'm sorry, man."
Robby only shrugged.
"You weren't the one who pulled the trigger."
Jack frowned.
"It was a veteran. PTSD episode." Robby stared at the rabbit in his hands. "His mind went back to the desert. He shot my grandma... and a bunch of other people who were shopping. There were three kids there too. When he came back to himself and realized what he'd done..."
He swallowed.
"...he killed himself."
Robby blinked.
He hadn't expected to tell Jack any of that.
Or to let him touch his belongings.
Or... to be talking this much at all.
Yet somehow...
It felt natural.
For the first time in years, Robby didn't feel like he had to keep his guard up around someone outside his home.
"Holy shit..." Jack rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "You... don't hate him?"
Robby let out a tired sigh.
"He was just a scared man."
His fingers absently stroked one of Mr. Bunny's ears.
"He got dragged back into hell without asking for it. People broke him so badly that his own mind betrayed him." He shook his head. "No... I don't hate him. None of that was something he chose."
After a brief pause, he added quietly,
"A lot of people join the military because they don't have another way out."
He noticed the look that crossed Jack's face.
"Yeah..."
Jack looked away.
"I guess I'm one of those statistics."
Robby's expression softened immediately.
"I'm sorry."
Jack shrugged as he started stripping the sheets off his own mattress.
"It is what it is. I'd already made peace with it. Dad always said there wasn't enough money for college, so my options were pretty simple."
He counted them off on his fingers.
"Go to school and enlist... or stay home working at his motorcycle shop."
He didn't bother hiding the bitterness in his voice.
"You don't like working on engines?"
"I hate motorcycles."
His answer came without hesitation.
"My dad owns a motorcycle shop."
Silence lingered for a heartbeat before he continued.
"My older brother died in a race when he was fifteen."
Jack's jaw tightened.
"And all my dad had to say was that he should've known how to ride."
Robby let out a slow breath.
That...
That was cruel.
Once he'd finished putting away his clothes, only Mr. Bunny and his pillow remained. Jack placed the pillow on the bed while Robby carefully set the old stuffed rabbit on top of it.
Without saying a word, they both turned toward Jack's mountain of boxes.
"So..." Robby said. "How about we order some Chinese food and finish unpacking afterward?"
That earned him another one of Jack's looks.
Robby shifted awkwardly.
The Alpha really did have an intense stare.
"You know," Jack said, "I've never voluntarily told anyone about my brother before."
He paused, almost as if he were trying to make sense of it himself.
"I hate getting involved in other people's business, yet somehow I ended up making your bed..." He chuckled softly. "...and now I'm about to share Chinese food with a complete stranger, which I normally hate."
Another small smile tugged at his lips.
"I think we're gonna get along just fine, man."
Robby smiled despite himself.
Ignoring the way his Omega purred every time Jack smiled—or looked at him, or spoke—it all felt...
Natural.
As if this was always supposed to happen.
"Well..." Robby shrugged.
"I told you about my grandma, let you touch my things, and I think I've said more than twenty words to you."
He looked over at Jack.
"I'm not exactly a people person."
A tiny smile appeared on his face.
"So yeah, Abbot... I'd say we're gonna get along just fine."
Jack smiled back.
"Good. Then I'll order the food. A third-year gave me a list of delivery places around campus. I'll tape it up between our desks later."
He reached for the old wall phone before looking back over his shoulder.
"One important question, though."
Jack give him a several look.
"You want egg rolls?"
Robby snorted, of course, that was the important question.
"Because I'm ordering a lot of them and I am fully prepared to stab you if you steal one."
Robby laughed under his breath before shaking his head.
"No thanks, just make sure we get something with vegetables. My grandma's liable to come back from the dead and yank my feet in the middle of the night if I don't eat my vegetables."
Jack snorted.
"You're on your own with that one, brother."
Robby shrugged as he looked around their room.
"I think we should get a mini fridge and some damn curtains. I like sunlight..."
Robby look at the sun, but barely can handled it.
"...I just don't want it hitting me like I'm a bug under a magnifying glass."
Jack nodded in agreement as he picked up the phone and dialed the Chinese restaurant.
While Jack placed the order, Robby wandered over to the first of Jack's boxes and opened it.
The first thing that hit him wasn't what was inside.
It was Jack's scent.
Fresh earth after the rain.
Warm cedar.
His Omega purred in immediate contentment.
As though quietly insisting...
There.
That's your mate.
Robby swallowed.
Somehow, he already knew.
He was probably about to live both the best and the worst days of his life...
...with Jack Abbot.
Almost as if Jack had felt his gaze, he looked over his shoulder and offered Robby a crooked smile.
His Omega practically melted.
Yeah...
Living with Jack was definitely going to be hell.
Just not for any of the reasons Robby had expected.
Between Jack...
...and his own impossible Omega...
His first year of medical school was going to be unbearable.