tears threaten to spill from his eyes, and if he were a different, softer person, they would fall.
he's reading her diary because she left it open on her bed, and he was looking for a reason to dump her. he was ready to see all hate she feels toward him. all ways he hurts her. all the ways he's wrong and unlovable. and he was going to throw it in her face, and see the inevitable fate of this relationship happen right before his eyes.
but he's seeing something much more confusing. diary entry after diary entry about how much she loves him. how his blues mix so well with her reds. how she hungers for his soul and dreams of their wedding day. how she has no end of love to give him and just wants to put flowers in his hair and soothe his scarred mind.
with his fist tightened around the book, he storms into the bathroom and shoves open the shower curtain, making her squeak and blush. 'hey!'' she whines, grabbing it to cover herself as if he's never seen her naked before, her eyes narrowing at him.
his eyes are dark and hollow and messy with emotion all at once. she's looking at him and the book in his hand. 'that's private, Simon Riley,' she warns, heart thumping against her ribs. 'it's not -
he's grabbing her face and kissing her, stepping into the shower fully clothed after placing the book on the sink. 'you love me so much,' he husks, holding her face in his palms, body towering over her, yet she doesn't feel scared; she feels happy.
'm'naked,' she pouts, voice soft as her heart. 'shower naked feels different than sex naked.' she's peeking up at him. 'but yes. i do love you very much.'
he's smiling, gloved thumbs brushing over her cheeks, his heart full of something she's made him come to know as familiar - love.
Conservative beauty standards are back with a vengeance which means it's especially important to go out this summer with bellies out and bodies unshaved. Also be unapologetically disabled with mobility aids and wearable medical devices and stim toys and ear defenders and all that stuff. You need it. People need to see it. Everyone needs to be reminded that life is unquestioningly more enjoyable when you're not living inside an arbitrary set of rules created by people who are offended by all the wrong things.
trope i really like is self-loathing characters desperate for the catharsis of punishment for frankly rather selfish reasons who r also obsessed with repeatedly pressing others into hating them and hurting them as essentially a method of self harm. yes baby continue making it worse for urself and everybody around u instead of doing an actually productive and effective journey of improvement and redemption
genuine writers getting wrongly accused of using ai because of witch hunt and proper grammar/structure in their works must be what being a woman in the 1600s who is wrongly accused of being a witch because she can read and is intelligent feels like
umm not sure if i like this but omegaverse kinda-neglected reader! x tf141 (ghost focus), angst, good ending, gn!reader, SFW
Youβre a beta. That should come as a relief, many tell you every day they wish they were your designation instead. No heats, no ruts, not even stinking up a room when you got a bit too overwhelmed by an emotion.
Just in the middle: a nice calming scent, a decent paying jobβ never too high, a beta CEO wouldn't be able to control anythingβ and the lack of any crazy season that would get you all flustered. Your sense of smell was incredibly different to theirs, but you werent given much chances to complain considering all they went through in heats.
So naturally you were taught your life revolved around alphas and omegas, all the way from secondary school when you were sat next to the reactive Alphaβs to βtry and make them behave betterβ. In biology class your designation was skimmed over very quickly in favour of understanding how to react to their emotional changes and the like, and anything else you had to figure out for yourself.Β
Itβs not like getting out of school into the workforce was much better. Omegaβs rights had changed greatly in the past century, and no one would bat an eye at them being in most jobsβ so applying was even more impossible. Even when you did get into the workplace, it was like alphaβs would immediately stop listening when there was an omega in the room, or vice versa. Truthfully you were jealous of their natural pull to each other, like the relationships youβd read in books or see in swoon worthy movies.
βThereβs all sorts of jobsβ chefs, mechanics, cyber analysts, engineers, dont just have to be a soldier.β The army recruiter outside your local supermarket rambles, clearly trying to get at least one recruit today at the minimum. Otherwise heβd definitely get in big trouble. βAnd youβre a beta, so you can do both work with Omega and Alpha jobs! Youβll be fine!β
βWhat?β You look at him, that mention perking you up and he looks at you with glee. You were only listening in hopes heβd get you off his back, but that was certainly news to you.
βI bet youβre sick of fighting with even more people for jobs now, huh? In the military omegaβs and alphas are kept very seperate, even so, theyβre required to be on suppressants so everythingβs very easy.βΒ
βββββ
So, thatβs how you ended up here, bullied and forced into the shape of a soldier, something you still feel fake about even after countless deployments. Itβs quickly forgotten though when you have the thrill of finally finding your place in society.
Your first team was mostly alphas, a beta here and there, but it felt great to have them treat you equally, slapping a hand on your back and grinning at a job well done. The omega team wouldnt even bat an eye when you were assigned to them, just as welcoming. Truly the best of both worlds, you could be anything you wanted in this systemβ it was like it was built for you to thrive.
Then the taskforce got established, and by a stroke of luck, you got transferred on. βYou always run this early?β A hand lands on your shoulder, and you jump just to meet Sergeant Mactavishβ grin. After completing your demolitions course with flying colours, you soon got assigned under him. His hair is wet, mohawk flat for once, and you can only assume he just washed off. Still, his scent washes over you, easing your momentary shock and you nod, smiling. βYeah, isn't the water too cold this early?β
βItβs alright. Cβmon, letβs go meet the others for breakfast.βΒ
You follow him, the faintest happy scent trailing off of you as you do so, and spiking just the miniscule amount when you sit down at the table.
βPlease please give me your bread roll, i love the jam they use for it.β Gaz pleads, clasping his hands together and you can't help but roll your eyes, letting him trade it for his fried egg. βI love you so much-β He mumbles, already taking a bite out of it that Price rolls his eyes as he takes a seat.Β
βAlmost thirty years old...β He mutters and you giggle, eyes moving to where Ghost comes with his tray, sitting next to Price.
βI saw you on the track, you looked tired.β He says, giving you a pointed look, and making your cheeks flush. Oh, right. The night prior youβd been suddenly awaken to help deal with a feral omega, forced to give up hours of sleep to soothe them to submission..Β
βJust didnβt get the best sleep. Iβll feel alright after a coffee.β You give him a small shrug, eating more of your food. His eyes linger on you for a moment longer before nodding and carrying on.
Β The sergeants were more than happy to include you in all their plans, barely batting an eye when your scent wasn't as strong as theirs or in combat training you couldn't hold as much of an intimidating presence. Nor did the Captain and the Lieutenant care either, always praising the fact you could slip by unnoticed, with no chance of wavering from the other two designations and such.Β
It felt almost like a pack.. and it was perfect. So perfect.
βJohnny, just spill it!β Gaz groans as the Scot dances around the subject for the tenth time that morning, making you all roll your eyes at the breakfast table.Β
βI got an omega!β The whole table falls silent, and then Gaz lets out a low whistle patting him on the back whilst the Captain nods approvingly.Β
βAnd you wont show us a photo?β Ghost chimes in, making Soap stumble to get his phone out, excited as he passes the phone around. A sweet, soft omega. Round cheeks, a bright smile, hanging off his arm like it was the key to her heart. A perfect match to him.
βShe looks perfect with you, good on you, son.β The Captain says, giving him a gruff smile and Gaz snickers at his father-like praise. Then they turn to you, as you sit in shock, fork gently clattering on the plate.
Your jaw hurts from how you physically have to force a wide enough smile, standing up and coming around to congratulate him properly. Itβs even worse when Kyle insists he should show more pictures and so you stand there between them, making fake oooβs and aaahβs in hopes it would hide the slightest change in your scent.
It changes everything.
βSoap, me and Gaz are going to the pub laterββ
βAhβ¦ cant, omega wants me to watch a movie with her. What about friday?β
βOhβ do you mind if we do some sparring today?β
βUh.. okay, sure. Just gotta finish up this text to my omega. Ye know sheβs getting stronger by the day! Iβve been helping her keep fit, yknow, to stay safe and all.β
βDo you want to go grab lunch?β
βOhβ sure. Feels like i havent seen you in forever.β
You smile wide when he finally agrees to hang out with you againβ after all, itβs not like he was acting like this with Kyle. So you both enter the mess, going to grab your plate.Β
βAhh.. the βmega loves chicken like this, makes hers a bit more seasoned though. Bloody good.β You smile weakly, trying to start your own conversation about work, and the mission youβll be going with him on.Β
βOh ye havent heard yet.β He falls quiet and you tilt your head in confusion, about to place the dish on your tray.
βHavent heard what? Was there a new brief?β
βYou should talk to the Captain.β
Confused, you do stop by his office later that evening, gently tapping on the door with your knuckles and announcing yourself. With a weaker scent, he couldnβt tell you apart from the alphaβs across base with their scent blockers on, unlike the rest of the taskforce.
βCome in.β
βSoap said i havent heard something about the mission im going with him on soon? Did something change?β
βAh, right. You dont need to go anymore.β
You blink in surprise, suddenly really confused by all of this and you step forward a bit more, scent souring. Not that heβd pick up on it.
βHeβs a claimed alpha now, thereβs no need for a beta to mediate.β
You stand there, the contents of your stomach in your throat as you process his words. Mediate. You werent there because of skills.. the CO who encouraged you to take a demolition course didn't even think you were good at it either. They just needed a beta to mediate in a field lacking them.
βOh. Right.β
A month passes by of you watching Soap slip away from you, barely talking to you if not about his omega, never joining you on a morning run until youβre sure heβs forgotten about you altogether. At first you had chalked it up to him just being busier with mated life. After all, youβve witnessed the pull of an omega first hand many times, how it makes them change. Though, his relationship with the alphas didn't change in the slightest.
With his protective instincts he was drawn to the alphas more now, always hanging around Gaz and and Ghost when they weren't busy, beelining straight past you unintentionally. You cant really blame him either, no one remembers the betaβs faint scent.
It was Gaz next. One evening you were leaning against him on the couch, unable to hide your despair and luckily heβd been nice enough to let you sit there without explanation. It was nice, you thought that if you had no Soap, at least you had your other best friend. He always made you smile, and he was the reason you even got a slice of attention from Soap these days.
And then it came.Β
It started small, just hanging around Soap more often than not. Really you hadnt thought much of it, but it did feel rough when you sat also on the rec room couch just to watch them fully invested in something you could never join in on. You figured it was about Soapβs omega again, not something you particularly wanted to hear about.
Then it turned into turning down bar nights altogether. They would both cancel, Gaz excusing it with βplansβ whilst Soap was always honest. Sure you had the whole team, but being in the vicinity of four alphas in an alpha only bar was enough of a scent overload to give any beta a headache.Β
Then you saw his lockscreen on accident, just wanted to check the time really. It was unmistakably obvious though, the smiles, calmer than Johnnyβs one, but just as gorgeous and adorable. A real treat for the eyes.
βCongratulations.β You mumbled when he came back to the couch with his can, raising a brow at you.Β
βWhat..?β He knew, of course he did. You knew his lying look.
βGot yourself an omega, when are you gonna tell the others?βΒ
He seems embarrassed, quickly grabbing the phone off of you, cheeks burning. βHow did you see that?!βΒ
The next morning he announces it to the team and you join in with congratulating again, only too aware of the cycle that was soon to repeat. Only, it wasn't too bad with Gaz. You were grateful, so grateful when he still would spend a lunch or two with you, or even just talk to you.
βHey, we going on our usual grocery run this week?β You two were put together on the rota for stocking the rec room and so you both head out, riding shotgun in Gazβs car.Β
You both had a copy of the list, walking around the store together, until you eventually got them all. βOh! Just a second, need to grab some scent stuff.β In the small beta section they allowed, there were really good products to clear out scents from others thatβd stick to betas and linger around. After all, you had a keener sense of smell, so being around the taskforce meant it racked up pretty fast on your clothes and on your room.Β
Kyle was the first you confided in after you suddenly fainted once, at a bar, the scents too much for you to handle. Though you managed to quell it pretty quickly with these. Some you could just spray in your nose and goβ perfect for getting rid of the oncoming dizziness.
βYou know you dont have to get the fanciest things, just get the base ones. Itβs at the back of the store and theyβre expensive.β
You pause, he never questioned this before, not even the first time you had nervously told himβ afraid to be undermined.Β
βThereβs no base ones..β You say with a raised brow, but you cant bring yourself to be too rude to him. Even if his tone was almost sharp, scolding, as if you were being selfish. Right now it feels like youβre reduced to your designations, and thatβs it. Not humans, not friends, not even teammates. Alpha and beta. βThereβs only one brand that ever does it.β
βReally? And what about the cheap scent clearers? The ones you used to use before.β He gives you a firm look, challenging, and you swallow, unsure where this hostility came from.
β..They got pulled off the shelf, Kyle. Thousands of betaβs got chemical burnsβ i couldnt smell properly for a week.βΒ
He pauses for a split second, like heβll acknowledging the truth in your words and his wrongs, then just huffs, turning to scan where the empty checkout is. βFine. Get what you want then, but I'm going to pay. Iβll meet you at the car.β
When you return with the small plastic bag, he puts his hand out for the receipt so it can be handed to you at a price for expenses on the card. βI paid for it myself.β You mutter back, your scent tinging sour and in the close proximity it might be noticeable this time. He pauses, and then puts his hands on the wheel, choosing not to comment further.
βββββββββββ
The sergeants are on a mission, one you were supposed to be on, but now youβve been shoved into another with unclaimed alphaβs who need a bit of extra settling. Or rather someone lesser than them they can secretly believe theyβre higher than. It doesn't feel much different to secondary school now, and you find yourself with less will to argue about it.Β
Thankfully, Lieutenant Ghost is here with you. Heβs always been alrightβ not exactly friendly but not rude either. You were quite intimidated by his rank at first, convinced heβd be strict and unforgiving but heβs content if you get the work done.Β
βHandled that bomb in record time.β He comments beside you on the way back to base. There was another demolitions expert on the team but when news came up that there was another bomb they had not suspected, he immediately put his trust in you to disarm it.Β
βThanks for the chance, Lt.β You smile up at him and he nods, acknowledging your hard work. After all, you really did always put in more than your best. Even so, he cant help but notice you sink as soon as he shifts his attention to someone elsewhere, the conversation falling quiet. Heβd be blind to notice the gap between you and the sergeants, even if you were a beta and them having omegaβs shouldnt even bother you. Him and Price had to regularly reminds them to not walk around in clothes stinking of their partner.
βThe sergeants are back from their mission, could hit the pub tonight. Whole team can comeβ
You feel too bad to decline now, so you just nod. βOkay. Yeah.β
βββββ
The Alpha only pub is bustling and you offer to grab the third round just so you can escape the thick scents building around you. It doesnt help that youβre basically rationing your scent-refresher as of right now.
βOmegaβs doing good.β Soap responds to Priceβs questions.. At least youβll miss this mandatory conversation while you go. The bartender already knows you, greeting you with a welcoming smile as you start your order. Itβs all going on Priceβs card, so you take the opportunity to get a sundae instead of alcohol. He did owe you one after an explosive you caught right by his position. Besides, it was less than a tenner, and youβd savour it for life.
βHeatβs coming up though. Itβs only three days long usually, but should go smoothly. The store almost ran out of supplies too.β Soap sighs loudly, shaking his head and Kyle nods along, also probably having similar issues.Β
Youβre not exactly listening, carefully holding the plate of drinks so you don't accidentally spill it with the countless bodies in this crowd.
βIf they got rid of the beta section, theyβd have more to spend stocking on the omega stuff.β A soldier hanging around elbows Soap, but he doesnt disagree. If anything the buzz of alcohol just makes him want to finally speak his truth now.
βRight? I mean really? Beta period products? Beta scent enhancers? Like those would actually even work to attract an alpha let alone an omega. Those scent refreshers cannot be real either, i mean, youβd think theyβd want to smell us, ya know? Not like they get anything elseβ β
The table goes silent, Gaz obviously kicking Soap in the leg until he looks up and meets eyes with you. The other soldier doesnt bat an eye, raising a brow at you. βOh, your drinks are here. Can you order me two aswell?β
βIβm not a waiterβ You snap back, and the Captain stands quickly, taking the tray from your hands and placing it down on the table.
βThink your team wants you back over there.β He motions for the soldier to go with his eyes, and he quickly leaves. βThanks for grabbing them, iβll get yours. Come, sit.β He turns to you but you freeze, shaking your head, and turning back into the crowd. βIβll get it myself.β
βYou idiot!β Gaz puts his head in his hands at the very obvious tension from Soapβs words.Β
βI didn't know they was there!β He retorts, though also slumps into his seat a little more. βItβs true. What do you want me to say?β
βEnough.β Price sighs, pinching his brow, he shouldβve stopped the sergeants earlier but he hadnt known heβd be stupid enough to say that. Even if it was something that they were all thinking.
They take their drinks from the tray you brought, Gaz and Soap downing theirs immediately as if thatβll get rid of the dread hanging on their head. Price begins to sip his light chatter starting up again until Ghost suddenly speaks up.
βThey still haven't come back.β
Itβs been five whole minutes, and thereβs no sight of you to be seen anywhere.Β
β
Youβre sitting at the back entrance of the pub, empty at this time with the game roaring inside the pub. The alleyway it leads into is dirty, a few football decorations here and there, but mostly just black bin bags spilling out the large bins. There were two guys who had been staring you down for a while, like you were something that needed saving. The second one of them approached and caught your lack of omega scent, they immediately groaned and just turned away.Β
You just stick your spoon back in your sundae, not even lifting your head the entire time, just letting the cold sweetness try and keep you together.
Thereβs a small noise as someone sits down beside you, a rustle of clothing, and then the soft click of a lighter. You turn your head, slightly surprised to find Ghost there instead of a random drunk bloke hoping to score a sweet thing.Β He meets your eyes but neither of you say anything as you go back to eating your sundae.Β
βShouldβve got the other one.β
βWhat?βΒ
βThe bigger one.β He shrugs, the cigarette hanging loosely between his fingers. βPrice told us to order whatever.β
βThis is the only one that can come in a takeaway cup.β You mumble and he doesn't say anything further, not even when you lick the spoon clean.
βWhy are you here?β You ask, unable to keep silent anymore. Itβs not like he actually came to see how you were, and youβre suddenly glad he didn't come ten minutes earlier when you were on the verge of bawling your eyes out.Β
βSβposed to be a team night.β
βMaybe for the Alphas.β You grumble and he cant help but hum alongside you, not arguing with you on that fact.
βCant stand the smell, can ya? Got the takeaway cup cause you knew youβd need to go regardless.β Of course he figured it out immediately, though youβd think itβs impossible to read you given how some people treat you.
βYou mad iβm not fawning over your scent?β You scoff and wipe your mouth with the back of your hand, making sure no chocolate sauce lingersβ especially with how heβs watching you right now.
βJohnny is a stupid drunk, βlright?.β He mutters, a bit of bitterness in his tone that always lingers, but itβs not directly at you. βPriceβll convince you itβs just his instincts and all, looking after the omega.β
You look over at him and give him a deadpan look, the most honest youβve ever been with the man. Usually youβre pretty agreeable, in fact the only time youβve had a conflicts was when they got injured. Turns out youβre the only voice of reason whenever that happened, as the smell of the blood sent the rest of them into a spiral of worry.
And well, after that, he can't really blame you for being like this.
βIβm going.β You mutter, standing up and throwing the plastic cup in the bin before wiping your hands on your jeans.Β
To your surprise, he doesnt hesitate to follow you as you round to the front, heading to the little bus stop. Itβs not the first time youβve left early, but it is the first time someoneβs made sure youβre alright by the end of the night.Β
ββββββββ
Soap only makes a quick apology which youβre forced to just accept,, because what else can you really do? Mess up a whole team because of one thing he said which wasnt that far from the truth?
As predicted, Price did try and tell you it was due to protective instincts, wanting the best for his omega. Right, the same instincts that made him leave you like you were dirt on his shoe.Β
Besides, life was getting busier for you as you now got passed between two teams. Either working with Ghost and Price or a different group of alphas. Passed around like a damn stress toy in your opinion.Β
βSo weβre going to the one in the highstreet?β Gaz and Soap are chatting on the couch, not that youβre listening, just getting your things out the cupboard to make yourself a hot drink.Β
βMy βmega loves it, craves the food there all the time. Sheβs gonna love meeting yours.β
Whatever, it wasnt the first time theyβve discussed plans in front of others. Wouldn't be the last.
βIβll text the Captain and Ghost.β Soap adds, humming as he starts tapping away at his phone, opening their group chat you assume. One that youβre clearly not on, given that they dont invite you.
βYou think heβll even come?βΒ
βHeβs not that antisocial.β
βYeah but heβs only one without an omega dumbass.β
The container you're holding clatters against the table and they both back to stare at you with the exact same wide eyed look youβre giving them. If heβs the only one then Price..
You walk out like nothing happened, even if you can feel the tears start to burn your eyes. It was all going so well, you were all happy togetherβ werent you? So why?
The cycle repeats for the third time. Youβre taken off another team, not deemed useful enough anymore. You congratulate Price when you next see him, and he doesn't say more than a thank you. Somehow it hurts more that he didn't purposefully tell youβ he just forgot, like everyone else did.
You stopped coming by the rec room the last time the sergeants had a movie night without you. The texts between them and you ran dry, and after skipping one breakfast, you just never came back again. Thatβs just how it was now, and they didn't even reach out once. In fact, all of the last messages were from you. An unanswered question, a conversation cut short, or a text that just never even got opened.Β
Except for Ghost. He still spoke to youβ well, as much as heβs known to anyway. A hello in passing, a chat between sets in the gym, maybe when youβre queuing for food. As much as you wanted to take the opening, you just couldnt, too terrified to. After all, it was only a matter of time until Ghost left you aswell. You should know that you should savour every last moment, cling onto it tight, but you just can't. Itβs not like you two were ever the closest anyway.
ββββββ-
Youβve been moved to an omega team this time. Itβs not the first time youβve worked with one, but usually they can balance each other out easier since they aren't as explosive as Alphas. It also means this is a mission you can't slip up on from the months of work theyβve put into this.
They welcome you immediately, and you grasp the ropes of it all fairly quickly, until itβs finally the day. The prisoners are right where you expected them, and just as told, the one in the middle has explosives strapped all over.
They evacuate the rest out whilst you kneel down before the explosives, watching the wires and where they turn and twist intently whilst the person tries their best not to squirm too hard. Even with your best efforts, nothing seems to match what you know but you frown as you notice the wire reaching towards the chair theyβre bound to. Down to the floor.. a weak floorboard. The weight of the chair.. essentially a mine.
One hostage on that chairβ you move her off and everyone dies. What do you even do?Β
βDo not stand up at any point, okay? Iβm going to get you out, but you have to trust me.β Shrugging all the gear off, you cut the straps that locks the person to the chair.
You hand her your gear carefully and step back, just enough to reach the doorway. Thereβs no telling how large this bomb is, but you can assume it cant be enough to seriously damage the ship youβre on.Β
βOkay, you need to shuffle forward just slightly and place the gear behind you, okay? Then, when youβre ready, cover your head with your hands and run towards me.β The woman trembles, doing as you told and the weight of the gear seems to be a good enough trade off for the mine to not set off.Β
After that, she bolts, and you pull her through the doorway and as far away as possible, shielding her as the shockwaves rattles through the ship.
βββββββ
Ghost hadnt expected to see his phone buzz at this time, by the infirmary no less. But when they relayed what happened, he had made his way there immediately. You had just come out of surgery, a high enough dose of anaesthesia in you that you just werent acting right. He intended to wait outside until you stabilised, that is until the nurse rushes out suddenly.
βWould you mind coming in, sir? We need someone to restrain them.β
He steps inside to see you squirming against another nurse, slurring and trying to escape your bed, clearly panicked.Β
βStop that, youβre going to hurt yourself more.β He reaches for your flailing wrists, forcing the nurses out the way as they stand at the back and watch you get manhandled by the alpha.Β
Something in his gut feels uncomfortable with the stains of red across the bandages across your body, burns peeking out of some. So he carefully restrains your wrists against each other, holding them firmly.
βL-lieutenant?β You stammer out, dazed eyes searching for him intently until you manage to focus on his mask. Finally you stop freaking out for a moment. He turns but the nurses are already gone, probably called to another patientβ the operation you were on had quite a few injuries for different reasons.
βYeah, itβs me. Yβjust came out of surgery, youβre okay now, alright?β He carefully lets go of your hands, helping you reposition yourself after you had tried to squirm off the bed. βIβll grab the nurse, then we can see when we can get yβoutta here.β
The nurse?
You blink at him, looking around at your surroundings, the sterile smell of the place attacking your nose. Simon was an alpha.. and the nurses, well specifically in this wing.. your eyes glance to the sign outside the door, the familiar writing.
βNo- no you cant!β You barely manage to grasp his arm as he pulls away and he looks at you in confusion. The beeping in the room starts getting even louder than before, almost incessant and you feel like your chest is going to explode.
βYour heart rate is rising, sarge. You need helpββ
βLieutenantβ no, please-β You whine pathetically as he pulls away from you, leaving him stunned until he reluctantly steps closer again before you throw yourself entirely out of the bed to reach him.
βI wont let βem hurt you, promise.β He can only assume you must be scared of needles or something, a fear of medical care surely. He never knew that about you, and it spikes something in his chest, a cog in his head. The fear radiating off of you is palpable, and he can smell the faintest change of your scent in the air.Β
βNo- no! The nurseβ sheβs an o-omega, you cantββ You choke out, head getting dizzy from all the sudden movement as you desperately clutch his sleeve. It forces him to stay right there, not the grip on his sleeve but the desperation in your eyes.
βSargeβ iβm not gonna act like a wimp in rut from talking to an omega.β He huffs but he knows youβre out of it. It must be the anaesthetic getting to your head, making you say all these silly things.
βYouβre going to leave me- youβre going toββ A sob escapes you as grip loosens on him and he freezes, watching you curl into yourself. Your forehead gently hits his arm, tears wetting his sleeve.
βIβm right here.β He says, voice quieter and it makes him breathe relief when the beeping settles down to a steadier rate, even if it is still high and you look even worse like thisβ so lost and terrified.
βYou are..βΒ You sniffle, pressing your nose further against his arm. βt-the omega nurse- she- sheβll come and youβll leave with her. Youβll leave me- a-and never speak to me again, please- lieutenant please.β Your hands tighten and he swallows sharply, letting your words sink in.
It was never about envy, not even the way you stared at them whenever they spoke about omegas. It was pure fear. And this feeling in his chest, it was tightening with each soft sniffle from you, instincts flaring. Heβs never felt like this in his life, infact he was convinced he never would. But he just cant stand the sight of you like thisβ the bloodstained clothes, the fear in every small movement, your vulnerability.Β
He steps forward without thinking about it, his free arm gently prying you off of him until you fall back against the pillows. βNot leaving you for some random omega, you silly beta.β He scolds, picking you up off the bed until your head rests on his shoulder, sniffling into his shirt.
βGonna take you where you belong. Gotta tell me if i hurt you, though.β Warmth spreads through him now that he has you against him like this. It clicks something in his brain he didn't know was waiting for a stimulant.
All that leaves your lips are the sobs that keep coming, staining his shirt, but finally settling now the dizziness has settled. βDont go.. donβt, please, you cant..βΒ
Youβre right, he cant keep you around these omegas and all of this. No, he needs you to be healing properly around things you likeβ you want. He needs to look after his beta.
He grabs your duffel off the chair where itβs left, checking the corridor twice before marching through the quiet corridors towards the barracks.Β
Mass market paperbacks are dying, imminently. ReaderLink, the main distributor of this pedestrian format, will stop distributing them at the end of the year. (Imminently.)
Sure, sales were declining in favor of trade paperbacks and ebooks. Sure, they were expensive and often wasteful to produce, especially in comparison to ebooks (or probably even audiobooks). Sure, non-bookstore-retailers largely stopped selling them on those lil swivel racks, if they didnβt also stop selling books altogether. It makes sense that this format is going the way of the dodo, and the codex, and the folio.
But Iβm still upset about it. I want to be able to buy a book for less than $10. I want to be able to fit a decent book in my pocket, because when I travel I want my hands free even if the pockets of my denim jacket are bulging ridiculously as a result. I want compact font and fun cover art and a form in the back that I couldβve filled out in the spring of 1997 to get the next installment of the series in the mail. All due respect to the trade paperback (a format that I also adore), but the mass market hits different.
What does it say that the cheapest format is the one thatβs seen the steepest drop in sales? Iβm sure people are still reading, if only because of BookTok trends and romantasy. No shade at all to either BookTok or romantasy β all reading is good reading, in my opinion, and mass market paperbacks helped to ensure that everyone could be reading. Also, letβs be real, most of the highest selling mass market authors were authoring what more close-minded readers and reviewers would today call βslop.β Lurid fantasy and romance and sci-fi with those uncanny oil painting covers that everyone pretends are so much different from the all-caps block-text mysteries and swoopy-lettered cutesy-cartoon romances. Instead of being able to pick it up at a local drug store for $7, someone now has to get their romantasy fix for $18 (for only a paperback) or through Amazon.
Obviously this doesnβt matter that much and Iβm mostly writing to complain about the lost art of book covers. But I sincerely hope that the numbers donβt mean that fewer people are reading. I hope everyone who isnβt buying a mass market is still reading some other way.
The Last Days of Paperback Books
After years of steady sales declines, the format will largely disappear next year.
It's fascinating how a lot of Evangelical Christian anxiety about Satanism seems to be rooted in the unspoken idea that if the Devil gathers enough worship he'll depose God and become the new God, because that's not the party line in any major religion, but it is how it works in Dungeons & Dragons.