Work Text:
Any minute now and his husband will be home with her second consort. After a full year of resisting the Tamaran nobility’s cries for a more suitable omega, she was finally forced to acquiesce. The threat of war with the Citadel is drawing closer and they can’t risk losing any allies.
It took the council three weeks to choose Kori a new bride, but refused to reveal who it is. All Kori was told is that he isa he and that he is a match meant to solidify an alliance with Gotham nobility; one of Bruce Wayne’s sons.
Whoever he is, he can’t be the youngest since Damian is both unpresented and as alpha as they come. Timothy is a beta already happily engaged in a triad with a Gotham omega and a Metropolis Alpha. That leaves either Richard or Jason. Jason however hasn’t been seen in public since he was kidnapped during the failed coup led by anarchists.
So that leaves Richard, and that means Roy is in trouble.
He might be Kori’s firstwife, but that will mean little in the face of the eldest Wayne’s charms. Even worse is the fact that he genuinely can’t bring himself to be resentful. Dick is an amazing person and... Roy knows who heis. A drug addict with a bastard child isn’t going to have much claim to Kori’s attention. He’s prepared himself to give up the title of First Wife the second the newest consort arrives.
Following the orders of a newer wife is going to chafe, but he doesn’t want to force Kori to choose.
It’s too quiet in their wing of the palace. Normally Kori and Lian would be chattering about their day, maybe working on Lian’s lessons, while he contributed to the din with the buzz of his machinery. But there’s no Kori, she’s busy marrying another man, and Lian has been sent away to stay with her father, since Jade’s back in town, until the pack hierarchy settles. As a previous spouse, he wasn’t invited to the wedding and has instead been left alone to brood on his growing anxiety.
The knock on the door that finally comes is almost a relief, despite the sharp spike of panic he can feel spear his chest. Roy nearly trips over his own feet to get to the door.
Kori is standing there of course, gorgeous in her dress uniform, but the beast of an omega draped in the courting jewelry the Tamaran council sent is most definitely not one Richard Wayne. Kori’s... no, their husband slips inside and she gently shuts the door.
Then Kori gestures between them speaking English, presumably for her new mate. “Jason, this is my First Wife. Roy has blessed my home for two full cycles of the seasons. If you need anything and I am not there to ask, I know he will do all in his power to help you. Roy, this is Jason. He is my Second Wife and eager to get to know you.”
That might be a bit of a hopeful overstatement. Jason looks more wary than eager.
Roy starts to stick out his hand to shake, but before he can do more than lift one arm Jason has arched his neck in the traditional greeting of a lower pack member to someone higher. After a glance at Kori, to make sure he’s reading the situation right, Roy presses forward.
He’s been given the choice to scent Jason and accept him into the pack, or to tear into his throat and reject him. Roy sort of hates whoever taught him the greeting, it’s a cruel tradition. Jason tenses as he draws closer, but relaxes at the first swipe of Roy’s jaw along Jason’s neck. After a few nuzzles, he chances a few small licks to the scent gland located at the underside of Jason’s jaw. The omega shivers and his hand makes an aborted movement at his side.
Then Roy pulls back and leans into the prompt kiss Kori gives him. It’s as passionate and lovingly domineering as always. The sort of kiss that usually leads into a romp in the bedroom.
The bedroom that he will now have to take turns sharing with her.
Reality slices through his skin with the pain of a thousand paper cuts dipped in lemon juice. He pulls back from her, not daring to look up and see her pain or her pity.
Jason gives an awkward shuffle and that reminds Roy it’s his job to settle the new omega into his room and then help him prepare for the consummation of his marriage. That stings more than a little.
Roy takes Kori’s hand and presses a longing kiss to the dark skin before turning back to the omega. He reaches out his hand. The boy, probably only barely old enough for this marriage, looks between them uncertainly but takes the offered hand.
A gentle red flush creeps up his neck when Roy presses his lips to the palm. It’s... enjoyable to watch it spread across his cheeks and bared shoulders.
Kori drops another peck on Jason’s cheek, followed by one on his nose and then a gentle press to his mouth. “Roy will show you to your shared quarters to settle in.”
“That’s... thank you.” Jason twitches a smile and it stops just short of seeming pained. The fingers of his free hand keep twisting in the gauzy layers of his wedding dress. Roy’s certain if he keeps at it there will be a hole.
Roy touches his shoulder, trying to ignore the way Jason flinches. “Your things have already been brought to our room. If you’ll follow?”
The omega follows him obediently to the room meant to house a harem much larger than two. There are a variety of alcoves in the wall and softly padded hollows in the floor for nesting. The arched ceiling is painted with murals of omegas engaged in light hearted activities. There’s a large pool in the corner that continues behind a spiraled wall to the gardens outside.
Jason’s things are set aside in the opposite corner, the bedding from his old pack still carefully sealed away so as not to lose the scent on it. Jason focuses on that first before searching the room.
Roy’s own nest is in a hollow towards the center, as befitting a brooding omega though Lian has grown old enough to not need a nest on the floor. It was convenient when he picked it at random, nice mostly for heats and snuggling his daughter. It’s messy, full of his bedding and clothing from both Kori and Lian. He doesn’t use it too often, but it’s still his.
Somehow he holds back a growl, just barely, when Jason approaches it. To his surprise the omega doesn’t try to steal anything, or even to touch. He just studies it and then turns back to Roy with a calculating look. “You still have custody of your daughter? Most alphas wouldn’t let an omega raise a pup not theirs.”
“Kori isn’t most alphas.” He finds himself defending, wondering at the visible change in Jason.
Out of Kori’s presence, Jason seems harsher. He sniffs quietly in disbelief. Then he stands and approaches Roy again, pulling two handkerchiefs from his bust and holding them out. “In Gotham the new omega offers something with their scent to their packmates for their nests. Use them, or don’t.”
As soon as Roy takes the squares of cloth, Jason snatches up his bedding and hauls it to the highest alcove in the furthest corner from the door. The skirt of his wedding gown is tied up around his waist somehow so he can scale the wall like a spider, ignoring the ladder nearby. Soon the sounds of a nesting omega reach him.
Really, Jason shouldn’t be allowed to settle in until after Kori has taken him so that her scent will meld with his while he nests but Roy doesn’t have the heart to call him back down after hearing the soft croons of self comfort drift from the alcove. After tucking his handkerchief into his nest, he slips out of the room to find Kori sitting on the couch, holding one of Lian’s stray toys.
“How is he?” Kori asks, slipping into Tamaranean now that they don’t need to worry about Jason being able to understand. “His family was not happy to leave him here. As I understand it, our council strong armed them into accepting the marriage proposal with the threat of a war we could not hope to wage.”
“That would explain a few things.” Roy agreed, passing the handkerchief over to Kori. “He brought this for your nest.”
She brings it to her nose to scent, smiling softly. “We will have to offer something to him.” Then her smile fades. “We have the night to settle him in and then I’m expected to join in the discussions with his country.”
Roy gives a quiet hum of agreement. “I had thought they’d send Richard.”
Kori tugs Roy down to her side, nuzzling the top of his head. “The council expected Richard as well. I spoke with him after the ceremony. It would appear that Richard is engaged to be married to an alpha in Bludhaven. It’s a love match.”
“So they sent the younger omega in his place.” It buys the young man some sympathy from Roy, though it can’t completely soothe the jealousy.
“No. He offered himself so that Richard wouldn’t not have to break his engagement.” Kori’s fingers stroking through his hair is soothing. “Our new mate is devoted to his packmates. He will miss them in the coming weeks.”
“I’ll do my best to help him transition, but—“ The rest of Roy’s sentence is lost when Jason renters the room, draped in soft cotton and lace lingerie.
The broad omega hesitates in the doorway, panic flashing across his scent. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t realize...”
“Shhh. Come here, my sweet one.” Kori beckons Jason closer, switching effortlessly into English for her new mate. She pulls Jason down to the spot Roy vacated seconds earlier.
Roy sidles back up to the omega with a comforting purr. It can’t feel good to find your mate lounging with her previous wife on your wedding night. His hand strokes down Jason’s arm as Kori pulls Jason in for a kiss.
Jason’s soft coo of confusion is what finally endears him to Roy. “I-I... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“It’s your wedding night, Jaybird.” Roy presses a kiss to the freckled shoulder bared for their viewing pleasure. “We were waiting for you.”
“You...” Jason swallows, going pale at the mention. The gaze he turns to Kori is desperate. “I thought it would be a single knotting.”
Kory’s soft indulgence falters only a little. She does gesture for Roy to move back, but he’d already jumped back like he was stung by Jason’s reaction. She pulls back, enough that it won’t seem sexual but not enough that it will appear like rejection. “No one will touch you in any manner you do not expressly invite. We only meant, that as our mate we have set this night aside for you.”
“Our...” Jason sucks on his teeth, looking between them. “I was under the impression that only an alpha could take a second mate.”
“My people... are archaic in some manners. Legally you and Roy do both belong to my harem, but the laws don’t govern what happens within our home.” Kori takes Jason’s hand in both of hers. “I know that you weren’t given much of a choice, but the last thing we want is for you to regret us.”
Roy reaches out and puts his hand over Jason’s and Kori’s. He tries for a smile, hating the terror he sees hiding behind Jason’s eyes. “I know we’re not a traditional Gotham triad, but surely you could learn to be happy with us?”
The omega looks between Kori and Roy, almost desperate. “You... we aren’t going to have sex?”
“Do you want to have sex?” Kori asks.
Jason swallows, looking down at where all three of their hands join. He looks like he expects to be forced, regardless of his response. Still, he shakes his head and that would have been enough, but he forces himself to speak. “No. I—I don’t.”
“That’s good enough for us, Jaybird.” Roy reassures, pulling back just enough to grab the throw blanket from the back of the couch and wrap it around Jason.
The omega flinches when it drapes over his shoulders and then clutches it tighter around himself. He’s less unsure now that he’s covered up, addressing Kori and ignoring Roy entirely. “So. If it wasn’t pounding me into the mattress, what did you have planned?”
“We thought we’d get to know you.” Kori moves closer again and they sandwich Jason between them. “The council refused to give me even your name before the mating.”
“That’s because they didn’t have it.” Jason answers, voice rough. “They forced us into offering an omega to your pack, but Bruce refused to let them choose. He was hoping—well, it doesn’t matter. I’m here.”
“I’m sure you miss them.” Kori says, rubbing the back of her fingers over Jason’s arm.
He flinches, but leans into her touch like he’s desperate for it. “In my country, omegas don’t leave their pack. I—I didn’t—” He bites down on his wrist as his breath hiccups.
“You’re so brave.” Roy presses his forehead to the back of the omega’s neck. Jason shivers, but doesn’t pull away. “I can’t imagine.”
Kori presses another kiss to Jason’s cheek. “I’m sorry, my darling. The council was cruel to demand such a sacrifice.”
Jason’s breath hitches with something akin to pain, even as he starts to relax under their affection. “Where is the pup?”
“Lian is with her sire so that we could focus on your needs.” Roy soothes. He wishes he knew whether stroking Jason’s arm Is actually settling the other omega or if his instincts are simply lying to him.
“I see.” Jason keeps his gaze fixed on his lap. “I—I wouldn’t hurt her.”
“Oh. Sweetheart. That’s not why at all.” Kori cups his cheeks and nuzzles his nose. “Settling into a new pack is stressful for everyone. And Lian needs to spend time with her sire. The opportunity comes so rarely, it was fortunate that the two events coincided.”
“Oh.” Jay grips the blanket pooling in his lap with another soft hiccup.
Kori strokes Jason’s arm through the blanket as she turns to Roy. In Tamaranian she says, “Go fetch something from our shared nest for him. To help him settle and grow used to our scents.”
“I’ll be right back, Jaybird.” Roy reassures his sister wife in English before pulling away.
The nest he and Kori share in her room is next door to the harem. He pushes around the items, steadily growing unhappy with his options. Some things just have to stay inside the nest—he can’t help that. Others, others don’t smell strong enough.
Finally he finds it.
The blanket is small, probably a baby blanket of Lian’s, and it smells strongly of all three of them. The pale baby blue color reminds him of Jason’s eyes too. Rubbing it against his scent glands one last time, he heads back to his mates.
Kori holds out her hand for the fabric and rubs it against her scent glands as well before presenting it to Jason. “Roy said your country will present gifts of scent for the nests of new packmates.”
With trembling hands, Jason takes the fabric and then presses it to his nose. He takes a deep inhale followed by a shaky exhale. Then he clutches it to his chest and curls around it. Each deep breath gets successively less steady until a soft sob escapes. Jason’s hands shake as he swipes at the fat tears that roll down his cheeks before biting at his fist again to try and stifle the noise. “I want to go home.”
Kori meets Roy’s worries gaze over the top of their new mate before they both turn back to the poor kid falling apart on their couch. Soft alpha rumbles from Kori seem to help, but it’s not until Roy drapes himself over Jason with a comforting churr that the hiccuped sobs fade to sniffles.
The soot black curls are so soft against Roy’s calloused fingers as he massages Jaybird’s scalp. He doesn’t try to shush Jason or try to convince the younger omega that the world isn’t over. Jason’s world is over. If he was pressed to give an age to his new mate, Roy wouldn’t guess a day above debutant. Were it not for the upcoming war, this is an omega prince with another year—minimum—of courting and here he is already married.
So instead Roy nuzzles close and lets his scent promos stability. “I know.” He soothes, rubbing a circle on Jason’s back. “I know.”
The question is, what can he do about it?