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The room where they were conducting the interview looked like hundreds of others they’d been in before. Bland walls, bright lights and a camera, a chair for the interviewer and a couch they were expected to all pile up on. This one at least looked like it might hold them all with only a minimum of squeezing. It was a good thing any sort of concern for personal space had flown out the window rather quickly with this band.
Zayn walked in first and took the seat on the end opposite where the interviewer’s chair was, sprawling artfully across the cushions. His dark skin contrasted with the pale color of the couch beautifully and it was absurd how he managed to make even a lazy slouch look elegant and beautiful.
Sitting next to him, with far less elegant grace, Liam ran a hand over his hair and sighed. They’d been touring for three weeks now, and none of them were back in the routine of it yet. His entire band was tired and worn out and Liam was struggling with trying to figure out how to make it better. How to smooth out the exhausted lines around Niall’s grin, how to still the jittery shaking of Zayn’s legs, how to calm the manic edge in Louis’ laughter and how to straighten the weary slump of Harry’s shoulders.
Louis plopped down next, then Harry, and only a moderate amount of shifting was required to make enough room for Niall. The tight accomadations forced them all to press toghether, but it wasn't like that was unusual. They spent most of their private time draped all over each other anyway, and just about every interview they'd conducted seemed like it was from too small couches just like this. They were quite used to this routine.
The interviewer strode in a few moments later. A pretty beta woman with dark skin, auburn curls and large, dark eyes, she was all business. Her carefully made up face bore no smile and her slacks and blouse were both crisp and wrinkle free. She looked that perfect combination of attractive and capable that most of the media tried to cultivate. She also looked hungry.
Frowning, Liam realized that he didn’t know this particular interviewer’s name. It wasn’t that he didn’t remember, the band had just never been told. Liam hated talking to people when he didn’t know their name; he just hoped he didn’t do anything to let on that he didn’t know it and embarrass himself. He also hoped that the sharp edge in her expression wouldn’t lead to answering horribly embarrassing questions. One could only be asked what type of pants he wore, or his perfect date while sitting next to the Alpha he harbored a serious crush on, or the most embarassing thing a fan had done for him before he began to dread any questions not directly related to recording, touring, or their album.
Around them, the crew was buzzing around making several last minute adjustments to equipment and lighting, a steady hum of noise and movement. It was easy to ignore, yet comforting on the edge of periphery all the same.
Next to Liam, Zayn shifted restlessly, obviously trying to find a comfortable position, squeezed as he was between the arm of the couch and Liam. His elbow dug into Liam’s side and he huffed out a breath the tickled the skin of Liam’s cheek.
Liam inched closer to Louis, pressing himself entirely along his side to give Zayn more room, and trying desperately to ignore the way the movement kicked up a fresh wave of Louis' scent. Liam didn’t know how else to ease his restlessness for Zayn and he couldn’t ask – not with the interviewer nearby. Liam liked to keep his displays of beta instincts as private as possible, he knew how weird they were, and he especially didn’t want to answer any questions about them. He was pretty lucky that the rest of his pack put up with how defective he was and just how messed up his instincts were; he didn’t think the public or the press would be nearly so forgiving with the same information.
Louis rolled with the movement easily and slung an arm around Harry’s shoulders to give them all a little more space, casually accommodating Liam’s little flare of betaness.
Zayn sighed contentedly and sank down into the cushions, hooking his ankle behind Liam’s to show his thanks.
Liam smiled and enjoyed the warmth and the scent of his pack so close. He was starting to feel a little restless himself, and knowing that his packmates were surrounding him helped settle his jangling nerves. He moved his foot slightly so that Zayn’s ankle pressed against his even more firmly.
The cameraman signaled that they were ready only a few moments later, and then the interviewer was turning to them with a bright, completely contrived smile and another interview was off and running.
***
After running through the standard questions it seemed all interviews started with about how the tour was going and what was their favorite part of performing, the interviewer leaned forward anxiously, obviously ready to get more in depth. “So, tell me boys, it must be difficult being in a band with so many different orientations?”
Shifting on the couch they were all piled onto, Harry shook his curls into his face and then pushed them back, a sign of his mild discomfort with this new line of questioning. “Nah, not really. It was a little awkward at first, but once we got comfortable with each other, we get on really well.”
The corners of the interviewer’s mouth turned down a little, obviously disappointed at such a bland answer. “So it’s not hard having two Alphas in the band?”
Smirking slightly, Zayn leaned forward. “Not at all. Niall’s a really laid back Alpha, so he really kind of lets Louis be in charge most of the time and there’s no conflict really.”
Liam put his hand on Zayn’s knee and squeezed once and withdrew it, grateful to Zayn for making it sound so casual. None of them really liked talking about their pack dynamics publicly, in a way it was a bit of a sore subject and they had to be extremely careful to avoid revealing too much but still appearing comfortable with their roles in the pack. Clearing his throat, he added on. “And Louis does a really good job of understanding that when Niall does put his foot down about something, it’s usually because it’s important and the best thing for all of us. Louis never takes it as a challenge.”
Louis bumped his shoulder against Liam’s in acknowledgement of the compliment.
Biting his lip on a grin, Liam’s stomach flooded with warmth. When Liam was younger, when his orientation as a beta first presented itself, he used to dream about his perfect Alpha. The concept of a pack seemed like too distant a dream, but an Alpha, one lone Alpha to serve and support seemed attainable. His perfect Alpha was never the overly dominate sort, was always a little softer and sometimes in his more fantastical imaginings, even a little needy. His perfect Alpha was always quick to let Liam know just how to serve him and even quicker with his praise.
As he got older, those fantasies grew and expanded to service of a sexual nature and every time Liam wrapped a hand around his own prick it was to images of kneeling for an Alpha, sucking him, taking his knot. It embarrassed Liam how much he seemed to want an Alpha to fuck him, to own him completely – that was supposed to be an omega’s instincts after all – but years of fantasies only served to help him accept the urge not to eradicate it. Liam had a pretty clear idea of who he was as a beta and what he wanted from an Alpha for years before he realized that those instincts were massively fucked up.
Liam dreamed of his perfect Alpha until he met the rest of his pack. After he met Louis, the idea of a perfect Alpha seemed far less important than the idea of serving his Alpha, and every time Louis made even the slightest move to praise Liam’s actions as his beta, it made Liam hot and achy with need. Liam shook himself and forced those feelings down; no matter what he couldn’t let it show - not only for the sake of the interview, but it would be horribly embarrassing for Louis to find out how much Liam wanted him since Louis obviously had no interest in claiming Liam at all.
The interviewer raised one perfectly arched brow and looked at Louis. “Oh?”
Louis shrugged, unconcerned with the skeptical tone of the woman’s voice. His expression was lazy, but his eyes were bright and sharply alert. “That’s because I know it isn’t. Niall’s not the type of Alpha to issue challenges; he’s the type that takes care of his pack no matter what.”
The interviewer scooted forward in her seat, an excited gleam in her eyes. Clearly she thought this was going to end up revealing the type of drama between them she was digging for. “That’s how you see yourselves? As pack?”
Oh shit. Hesitant to encourage the woman, but determined to explain it properly now that the statement was out there, Liam nodded. “We’re pack before we’re a band. The music is important, the fans are important, and obviously we want long, successful careers, but the rest of these guys come first for me.”
Leaning into Louis’ side, Harry pressed himself against Louis from shoulder to knee. He radiated discomfort in the tight lines of his posture and the expression on his face. Of all of them, Harry was the least comfortable in discussing their pack dynamics and their roles within the pack publicly. “Right now we’re a band and we’re pack, but we’ll be pack long after we’ve finished making music.”
Smiling softly at Harry, Louis moved the hand on Harry’s shoulder up to the back of Harry’s neck, rubbing soft circles there. Louis was the type of Alpha who was quick to comfort his omegas and Harry was a pretty tactile guy; he soaked up touch like a sponge.
Still grinning widely, the interviewer looked back and forth between Niall and Louis. “Well if that’s the case, then how do you Alphas handle having two unclaimed omegas in the pack?”
Stiffening completely, Zayn slowly reached out and curled a hand in the hem of Liam’s shirt.
Liam leaned over to press himself against Zayn’s side, offering as much comfort as he dared while being filmed, taking as much comfort from the warm line of Zayn's body as he was probably providing. It was such an offensive, invasive question. Public perception had cast such a negative light on unclaimed omegas who chose to be friends with Alphas; everyone assuming that it would be impossible to keep from becoming physical. To admit to being in an unclaimed omega in a pack with not one, but two Alphas, was in effect admitting to sleeping with them – and therefore complete sluts – in the public’s eye. Liam hated the idea of Zayn and Harry being labeled that way, of carrying around that stigma, but speaking out about it would just make it look even worse - like they had something to hide. Liam’s stomach tied itself into knots with the desire to help and the indecision swirling through his mind.
A soft growl rumbled out of Louis’ throat. It was a clear warning to cease with that kind of questioning and stop upsetting his omegas.
Barely audible, Harry whined, soft and hurt, and moved to curl himself around Louis before remembering they were on camera and stopping himself short. Being even that innocently intimate would make it look even worse now that the implication they were all shagging each other was out there.
Louis’ hand tangled itself in Harry’s curls, a silent reassurance.
Niall’s easy grin had long since dropped off his face and he fixed the interviewer with a hard stare. “It’s not a problem.” His voice was cold and hard with barely restrained fury.
Swallowing thickly, the interviewer shifted backwards in her seat at the show of open hostility from both Alphas. “Right.” Visibly composing herself, she ran one hand over her carefully coiffed hair and changed the subject.
Liam swallowed hard and tucked his shaking hands beneath his thighs and told himself that he wasn’t disappointed that the interview took a nosedive before the interviewer could ask him about being the only beta in the pack and what it was like to try and please two Alphas and help them take care of two omegas. He definitely didn’t want to talk about it; didn’t want to have to admit just how twisted up and confused his instincts were. He told himself it didn’t matter that he didn’t get a chance to see if his packmates would praise his skills as a beta as quickly as they praised their Alphas. All that mattered was that they’d moved onto a much safer topic and Harry was looking less wounded and Zayn was looking less hunted. Liam was glad, even if he couldn’t get his hands to stop trembling for some reason.
***
As soon as the door to the small green room closed behind them, Harry was throwing himself at Louis with a soft whine of desperation. It would be hard on anyone to have to answer such humiliating questions about their personal lives, but it was even doubly so for an omega like Harry who was such a people pleaser. He craved approval and even just the hint of inappropriate behavior was enough to make him feel like he’d disappointed the public. Failure of any sort hit him hard. It was both a blessing and a curse to be so connected to their fans.
Wrapping Harry in a tight embrace, Louis pushed his hands into Harry’s curls and massaged his scalp while he pressed his lips to Harry’s ear and whispered low, comforting nonsense to him.
Liam’s stomach turned over and he curled his fingers into fists. He hated seeing his packmates suffer – especially his omegas – but comfort from the only beta in the pack clearly wasn’t what Harry wanted. He needed one of their Alphas. It made Liam shaky and sick with utter helplessness.
Zayn stood just inside the door with his arms wrapped around himself and a distant look in his eyes. He never asked for comfort openly, but it was clear he needed it now.
Niall cupped a hand over the side of Zayn’s neck, thumb stroking at the line of his jaw rhythmically, and smiled softly at him. “Alright mate?” A soft warmth threaded through his voice.
Biting his lip, Zayn nodded and leaned forward to rest forehead on Niall’s shoulder.
Humming softly, Niall curled his hands around Zayn’s waist and pulled him closer, giving Zayn what he needed without even being asked.
Zayn melted into Niall’s embrace and pushed his face into the side of Niall’s neck, inhaling deeply. Humming in satisfaction, he curled his hands onto the fabric of Niall's shirt and held it in tightly clenched fists.
Liam shifted his weight from foot to foot awkwardly. He wanted so badly to help his Alphas comfort their distressed omegas, but it was clear that Louis and Niall had everything under control - clear that there wasn't really any room for him.
Turning his head toward Liam, Harry reached out with one hand, and beckoned Liam to him. “Liam.” His voice was barely a breathy whisper.
Releasing the breath Liam hadn’t realized he was holding, Liam moved to Harry’s side gratefully. It was always so much easier when his pack was clear about what they wanted from Liam. He would give them anything, everything, if only they asked.
Harry curled one hand around Liam’s waist and moved his head from Louis’ shoulder to Liam’s.
Liam curled one arm around Harry’s back and the other around Louis’ pressing his fingertips between their shoulder blades and pulled them both closer. The hard press of their bodies was a comforting weight and Liam inhaled and let their mingled scents twine around his senses and loosen the tightness of his chest. He hoped the embrace was helping Harry feel better, because it was doing nothing to soothe Liam’s own trembling limbs. Relaxing, he pillowed his cheek against Harry's temple, soft curls tickling his neck and face.
Louis looked up and met Liam’s eyes. He looked shaken and lost, blue eyes wide and glassy and plush lips bitten red and raw.
A burst of instinct hit Liam hard and suddenly the need to comfort turned into an electric desperation to help his Alpha stop looking so vulnerable. Dragging his hand up from Louis’ back, Liam curled his fingers around the nape of Louis’ neck and gave it a reassuring squeeze. The feel of the soft skin beneath his fingers burned through the last of his hesitation. “’S alrgiht. Everything’s fine guys. Other people don’t get it, but we know. We know it works, and it does. It does work and that’s all that matters. We’ll be fine.” He hated the way his voice sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than the rest of his pack.
Shuffling forward together, Zayn and Niall moved closer. Niall reached out a hand and curled it over Harry’s hip and Zayn tucked his fingers through the belt loops of Louis’ pants.
Liam swallowed and his hands shook with repressed desperation. They were all locked tightly together and it was clear they needed so much, and Liam needed to give it to them, he just couldn’t. He was just a beta, a weird, different, unusual beta who was too needy and too sensitive to ever be helpful to anyone. He wasn’t an Alpha, so he couldn’t comfort Harry and Niall the way they needed and he wasn’t an omega, so he couldn’t give Niall and Louis the opportunity to comfort and soothe that they so clearly needed. Liam was just caught in the middle; not enough of anything to really have a place in the pack.
Louis looked at Liam and smiled tiredly, the expression never really reaching his eyes. “Right as always Liam. What would we do without you to keep us straight?”
“Fall apart,” Harry whispered from his place on Liam’s shoulder, his lips and his breath tickling the skin of Liam’s neck.
Zayn chuckled weakly against Niall’s neck. None of them mentioned how it sounded more like a choked off sob than any sort of amusement.
Liam blushed, ducked his head, and gathered his pack closer. It was so nice of them to say, so kind of them to try and include him; his desperation must be bleeding into his scent – how embarrassing. Liam knew it wasn’t really true, that they didn’t really need him like they said, but that didn’t keep the words from helping to settle his frayed nerves, didn't keep him from curling one hand into Louis' hair and the other into the material of Harry's shirt and taking what he could get from them. Liam didn't really know what the rest of his pack kept him around for, but right now, he only had room to be grateful that they did.