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Cold air hit Nicholas as he stepped out of the student accommodation, and he tightened his grip around his travel mug, grateful for the warmth it provided. Still, a part of him would have preferred to crawl back into bed, under the covers next to George. His mate didn't have to work until 10 AM that day and had the luxury of sleeping in. At least the walk to University wasn't long; he wouldn't freeze to death completely in the crisp January morning. And to his surprise, the sun was shining—a rare sight for London in winter. It definitely could be worse.
As Nicholas walked through the bustling streets, the slight warmth of his coffee kept his spirits up, but his mind wandered back to George. He pictured him still tangled in the blankets, his dark curls tousled against the pillows. The thought of George, with his soft breathing and the peaceful look on his face, made Nicholas smile. He had never imagined finding someone who could make him feel so grounded, especially amidst the chaos of university life.
When he finally reached the red brick building of UCL, Nicholas let out a small sigh of relief as he entered, the warmth inside instantly soothing his chilled skin. He spotted Lando waiting for him in the corridor and brightened at the sight of his friend. The omega, and fellow sociology student, was also his co-worker. Together, they managed the omega safe spaces on campus, a task that was both rewarding and challenging. For Nicholas, it was excellent training for his future work as a youth psychologist and street worker.
"Morning, Nicky," Lando greeted him with a smile. "All good?"
"Let this coffee work its magic, and it will be," Nicholas replied, holding up his mug.
Lando laughed. "At least you stopped drinking that sludge they call coffee in the canteen."
"Having a fancy law TA as a mate with a fancy coffee machine does that to you, let me tell you."
They both grinned at each other and walked together towards their workspace, a small but cozy office where they prepared the omega room. It was a haven for stressed-out students, especially during exam periods. Nicholas was grateful to have Lando by his side, not only for the company but also because, as a Beta, he had no clue how to build the perfect nest. Most omegas preferred to create their own nests, but during exams, they just needed fast, reliable comfort. Part of their job was to ensure there were always a few pre-made nests ready.
While Lando began constructing the nests, Nicholas took inventory of their supplies. He double-checked the stock of hot chocolate, emergency heat packs, and other essentials. Running out of these things during exam season would be a disaster.
They chatted casually as they worked, the familiar rhythm of their duties making the time pass quickly. It wasn’t long before the first students started to trickle in. Most were tired-looking first-years, their eyes glazed over with exhaustion. Nicholas recognized one of them immediately—Oscar, a frequent visitor of the omega space who looked particularly frazzled this morning.
Lando, ever the nurturer, was already by his side, fussing over him. "Oscar, what's wrong?" he asked gently, guiding the younger omega to one of the nests.
Oscar mumbled something unintelligible, his hands shaking slightly as he fidgeted with his bag. Nicholas couldn’t hear the whole exchange, but he knew Lando had a soft spot for their regulars, especially the younger ones like Oscar. They’d been working there since the start of the semester, and by now, they knew most of the omegas on a first-name basis.
As Lando continued to console Oscar, Nicholas thought about how attached his friend had become. Nearly all the omegas who frequented the space were good kids, and it was hard not to form emotional connections with them. As a future psychologist, Nicholas knew the importance of maintaining professional boundaries, but sometimes it was tough. It was even more difficult for Lando, especially when it came to Arthur. Arthur was the younger brother of Charles, one of Lando’s closest friends, and the bond between them had been instant. It was obvious to everyone, except maybe Arthur himself, that Lando had feelings for him. Nicholas often found himself smiling at their interactions, hoping Lando would finally make a move.
Later, once the room had filled with a few more students, Nicholas and Lando found a moment of quiet to catch up on their own work.
“What was Oscar so distressed about?” Nicholas asked as he typed up notes for an upcoming paper.
“He’s got his linguistics exam today, and he’s convinced he’s going to fail. And to top it off, he thinks Dan’s going to hate him for it. Which is ridiculous, because we all know Dan couldn’t hate anyone if he tried.”
Nicholas chuckled. “Dan would never hate a student. He probably just needs to give Oscar a little pep talk.”
It was a well-known fact that Dan, one of their most approachable professors, had a soft spot for nervous students. He taught both English and modern art, and despite his intimidating brilliance, he had a reputation for being incredibly patient.
“I told Oscar the same thing, but you know how it is during exams. Everything feels like the end of the world,” Lando added.
As they worked on their assignments, the quiet was suddenly broken by the sound of the door swinging open. Nicholas looked up just in time to see Arthur storm in, looking flustered. Lando’s face lit up the second he spotted him, and Nicholas had to suppress a knowing smile. He couldn't help but root for his friend—Lando was long overdue for some happiness.
But just as he was about to tease Lando about Arthur, a small group of omegas walked in, followed by a trio of law students. Nicholas recognized them immediately—they were in the class George was TAing. He moved toward them, offering water and checking to see if they needed anything.
“He’s just so hot,” one of them whispered, loud enough for Nicholas to overhear. “How am I supposed to concentrate when he’s standing up there looking like that? Have you seen his lashes? I’ve never seen an alpha with lashes like that.”
Nicholas bit his lip to keep from laughing. The kid wasn’t wrong. George’s long lashes had been one of the first things Nicholas had noticed about him too. The fact that none of the students knew George was his mate made it even funnier. Their relationship was kept under wraps on campus, partly because of professional boundaries, and partly because their schedules didn’t allow them much time together anyway. But that didn’t stop Nicholas from collecting little tidbits of gossip to share with George later, which always flustered him.
Before Nicholas could eavesdrop any further, Lando appeared beside him, grinning like an idiot.
“No way!” Nicholas said, already guessing what had just happened.
Lando did a little celebratory dance, and Nicholas clapped him on the back. “You finally asked Arthur out, didn’t you?”
Lando beamed. “Yeah, and he said yes!”
“Dude, it only took you five months,” Nicholas teased.
“Hey, don’t act like you didn’t pine after George for ages before you guys got together.”
“I wasn’t pining! I was just... giving him the opportunity to court me, like the gentleman he is.”
Lando snorted. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, Nicky.”
Nicholas ruffled Lando’s hair affectionately. “I’m proud of you, smartass.”
They laughed, the banter between them light and playful. But before long, a minor argument broke out between two of the younger omegas in the room. Nicholas quickly intervened, separating them and talking each one down until the tension dissipated. It wasn’t unusual for tempers to flare during exam season, especially with the hormonal swings that some of the omegas experienced, even while on suppressants.
By the time their shift was over, the day had passed without any major drama. Nicholas managed to get some work done on his thesis, another perk of the job. After tidying up the space and making sure everything was in order, he and Lando prepared to leave.
As they were heading out, they ran into Dan and Oscar. To Nicholas’ relief, Oscar was smiling, clearly relieved that the exam had gone better than expected.
“See? We told you you’d be fine,” Lando teased, fussing over Oscar like an older brother.
Dan chuckled, ruffling Oscar’s hair. “He did well. One of my best students, even if he overthinks everything.”
Oscar blushed, looking slightly embarrassed but pleased at the same time.
Nicholas bid them farewell, eager to get home. George was waiting for him, and they hadn’t had much time together lately. Tonight, they had a simple date planned—dinner and maybe a movie if they weren’t too tired. They still hadn’t seen the new Spider-Man movie, and Nicholas was excited to finally have a relaxing night with his mate.
As he stepped out of the building, he spotted George waiting for him near the university entrance. Once he was sure there were no students around, George tugged him close, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Nicholas melted into it, his worries from the day slipping away.
“Hey, we’ve got other plans tonight, remember?” Nicholas teased when George’s kiss became a little more intense. “Save that for later.”
George pouted but grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together. “Fine. But don’t fall asleep on me tonight.”
Nicholas chuckled. “I would never.”
George raised an eyebrow. “Is that so, Grandpa? You’ve been falling asleep in front of the TV a lot lately.”
“Don’t call me that,” Nicholas grumbled, though he couldn’t keep the smile off his face.
George kissed his cheek, pulling him into another kiss.
"Then stop falling asleep in front of the TV"
Nicky only grumbled something not understandable as an answer and George kissed his cheek before he pulled him in the direction to their flat.
"Come on, Grandpa"