Chapter Text
Ignis walked, can of Ebony clutched in hand, into the small cafe. He would have bypassed it completely if someone hadn’t come out as he was going past, letting the thick smell of coffee and baked goods out into the warm fall air. He was coming from his usual coffee shop, having found it closed due to a water pipe bursting, and headed to a chain store he knew was further down the street.
He wasn’t a fan, their coffee wasn’t as high quality and he didn’t care for the staff, but desperate times called for desperate measures. He was coming off a long day at school, a half-shift at work, hours tutoring some other students as a ‘favor’, an even longer night of studying on his own, maybe two hours of sleep, and a morning of classes and he still had a lecture and a lab to go.
It hadn’t been intentional but when Nyx and Crowe had shown up at his apartment needing help with some of their classes he hadn’t been able to turn them away even though he’d known it was going to result in a near all nighter to stay on top of his own work. He’d never been any good at telling people no when they needed something from him.
Gladio called it a major character flaw and, in moments like this, Ignis was inclined to agree. He felt like his head had been stuffed full to bursting with cotton balls and his legs and arms seemed to be made of lead, making every step feel like a chore. The Ebony was taking some of the edge off, helping him grab a second wind, but he knew from experiences it wasn’t going to be enough to keep him going for long. He had a lot of practice with days like this and knew what it took to get through them.
He had a system that had been tested and found to work and, while he knew that having to get his drink somewhere else wasn’t the end of the world, he couldn’t find himself feeling rather...put out by it. Gladio would say it’s because he was excessively fussy and resistant to change. Ignis preferred to think of himself as someone who knew what they liked and didn’t see a reason to deviate needlessly.
The bell above the door chimed and “Welcome home!” was chirped out in to him, in stereo, as soon as he crossed the threshold. He jerked to a stop, eyes darting around in surprise at the unexpected greeting. And at the staff or, rather, what the staff was wearing and what it suggested about the place. There looked to only be three people on staff, two blonds wearing maid uniforms who were on the floor tending to customers and a dark haired man dressed as a butler who was behind the counter, and they were all wearing collars around their necks. They were near identical, each one what looked to be ribbon edged in lace with small coin sized metal tags hanging from the front. The blonds were in white and an near offensive shade of green, respectively, and the man behind the counter’s was black.
Ignis tried to think of the last time he’d seen an omega around his age (and they all looked to be about his age) wearing a collar. He was fairly certain it was ‘never’; collars had fallen out of favor with the rise of Omega Liberation a few decades ago and weren’t popular among the younger set. And yet...there they were. Collared.
There was only one thing to make of it and a glance to the side confirmed his suspicion. There was chalkboard artfully decorated with swords and shields along the edges, listing specials for the day down the center, and boasting a very stylized Omega symbol at the top.
He’d walked into a Omega Cafe. He knew they existed and, further, that if one wanted they could find restaurants and cafes that were staffed mostly by omegas around Insomnia. Honestly a person could find anything they wanted in either Downtown Insomnia or in the University District. Some of the more unusual ones he’d ended up in at Gladio’s urging and some he’d just heard stories about, but none that he’d ever thought to go seeking one out on his own.
One of the blonds stepped up to him, a smile in place. Short haired, clear blue eyes, freckles dancing across their pierced nose, and shimmering eyeshadow in a green that matched the collar around their throat. Their hands were clasped demurely in front of their frilled apron and their head was cocked in a way that showed off their throat but something in their eyes gave Ignis the feeling that there wasn’t much submissiveness to be found in this omega outside of the face they put on for work.
It might have had something to do with what looked like a safety pin, with a silver carbuncle dangling from it, piercing through the shell of their ear but, then, Ignis was fussy and boring .
“Hello Alpha, I’m Prompto.” A slight curtsey accompanied the introduction. “Did you want a table or would a seat at the counter be okay?”
Ignis cleared his throat, hoping his discomfort didn’t show. He was tempted to just turn around and leave but...he was already inside and if nothing else the cafe did smell heavenly. Which might have had something to do with the staff but he was going to go ahead and tell himself it was the fantastic smell of strong coffee that appealed to him so much. He couldn’t actually scent the omegas, their scents were running together and mixing with the usual cafe smells to form a single sweet smelling scent.
He could stand to stay a few minutes.
“I’m ordering to go, actually.”
“Counter then.” The omega said, turning to lead the way. Not needed, considering that the cafe wasn’t very large at all; there were a few booths by the picture window, giving a view of the street, some two seater tables arranged on the floor, and then the counter. He figured it could seat just over two dozen, at best, and there were only about half that inside now. None at the counter.
“Noct, this one is yours.” The blond said as they reached over the counter to grab a menu for Ignis. “Be nice.”
With that Prompto headed off, all but bouncing towards a table occupied by two hungry-eyed older men in business suits, all smiles and lowered eyes.
“So, Alpha , what can I get you today?” It took a moment for Ignis to register that he was the one being spoken to, he didn’t think he’d ever been called ‘alpha’ except by bed partners in the heat of the moment and it had never really worked for him. He turned to face the omega and, rather than answering, he found himself staring.
Noctis was certainly not hard to look at, pale skin and dark blue eyes half obscured behind dark glossy hair that was mostly pulled back into a low ponytail, high cheekbones, sharp features, and pouty pink lips, and his suit was certainly very well fitted, but that wasn’t it.
...that might have been a it, Ignis did have two fully functional eyes (with his glasses on), but mostly it was the omega was familiar. Not in a ‘I know you’ kind of way but more along the lines of Ignis being certain that he should know him? Or that he looked like someone he knew but suddenly couldn't place. The answer was close, he could feel it dangling just out of reach and sitting on the tip of his tongue as if it had an actual physical presence but-
“Hello?” Noctis called, brows knitting together in what could only be irritation. “If this is the part where you ask for me or my number the answer is no, I’m not on the menu, so stick to coffee.”
Ignis’ eyebrows jumped up. “What? No, you don’t...you look familiar. Do I know you? I feel like I do.”
Skeptical didn’t begin to cover the look Noctis laid on him; Ignis would later reflect that Noctis probably heard that sort of thing for alphas all the time. Probably with a healthy dose of ‘we must be meant to be’ and ‘your scent is just like home to me’ and other embarrassing pick up lines.
But in the moment he found himself annoyed. He was attractive, certainly, but he was making some pretty major leaps in assuming Ignis was trying to hit on him. As if he couldn’t come up with better lines than that.
“You have Black Insomnia coffee?”
Noctis sighed at him then turned to stare pointedly at the chalkboard behind him, covered in neat even print listing the dozen or so different kinds of coffee. Black Insomnia was at the top of the list in vibrant yellow chalk next to artfully drawn white skull with blue and pink flowers bursting from the eyes and top. It was much more colorful than Ignis usual spot, which was comfortable and peaceful and very earth toned.
The staff was nicer there as well.
“I’ll take a large redeye with two extra espresso shots.”
“You want Black Insomnia with three shots of espresso.” The omega said with deliberate slowness. “You do see the skull next to it, right? As in ‘dangerous levels of caffeine.”
“You know your product. Delightful.” Ignis said, tone carefully bland. “Don’t bother leaving room for cream.”
Noctis shook his head. “No. I’m not doing it.”
Ignis opened his mouth then shut it, blinking rapidly, because he honestly had no clue how to respond to that. No? What did he mean no? Could he say no? Which was not a question Ignis had because he was an omega, he wasn’t that sort of person, but because what kind of barista told someone they weren’t going to make their drink? That was just bad business practice.
“Excuse me?”
“No.” Noctis repeated. “I’m not going to be responsible for your heart exploding or kidney shriveling up or whatever happens when a person drinks stupid levels of caffeine. Especially not when you’re already drinking that.” He jabbed an accusatory finger towards his Ebony can. “Caffeine overdose is a thing and I'm pretty sure you're heading for it.”
Ignis scoffed. “I wasn't aware unsolicited medical advice from the baristas came with the coffee.”
“It doesn't.” The ‘because you aren't getting any coffee’ was implied by the tart tone. Ignis knew he should just turn and leave, arguing with a barista he didn't know, in public, was not worth the effort. There were other places where he wouldn't have to deal with this utter waste of time and he was on a schedule.
But Ignis has always had an unfortunate stubborn streak.
“Fantastic, as I am not in the habit of taking advice from-” His eyes fell from Noctis’ face to the collar around his neck and his lips turned down just slightly as he was reminded that he was letting a man in a butler's uniform in a theme cafe get under his skin. This was ridiculous. “My baristas.”
There was a spark of anger in the omega’s eyes, bright and furious, and then Noctis was leaning onto the counter, towards him. Something tickled Ignis’ nose, a spike of scent stronger than everything else, coffee and burnt sugar bitterness with just a hint of sweet. It wasn’t anything at all like the cloying, syrupy smells he usually associated with omegas but it wasn’t unappealing. Too bad it belong to someone who was swiftly getting on his nerves.
It was rare that someone made his temper flare so quickly, he was a very patient person by nature, and yet here he was, annoyed. It was probably a lack of sleep combined with how bothersome the situation was more than anything else, but this...whatever this was wasn’t helping matters any.
He was tired, so completely and utterly tired, and he just wanted to get through the day and, in spite of what this barista seemed to think, he knew just how to do that. And hadn’t suffered any ill effects (beyond the occasional splitting headache) yet. Certainly no heart explosions.
“You mean you don't take advice from omegas?” Noctis snapped; the anger in his eyes was matched by his voice.
“That is certainly not-” Ignis started, irritation faltering in the face of that accusation.
“I saw how you looked at the stupid collar and I know how you alphas can be. You can think whatever you want but the answer is-” The door behind the counter, marked by an ‘Employee’s Only’ sign, swung open and Noctis shut his mouth with an audible click.
A man with wild auburn hair came swaying out of the door, a smile in place. He was odd looking, wearing an excessive amount of layers, starting with a long sleeved shirt with billowing sleeves and ending with a heavy black overcoat, topped with no less than two patterned scarves, one around his neck and the other around his shoulders. He had a hat clasped in one hand, wide brimmed and somehow obnoxious.
He sidled into place next to Noctis and put a hand on his shoulder. Ignis noticed three things: first that the man’s smile wasn’t reflected in his hazel eyes and the second that Noctis flinched subtly before leaning a bit away from the man as his eyes dropped to the hand touching him. The third, and most disconcerting thing, was that the man was scentless and not in the way that betas were considered scentless, which really meant ‘mild’ or ‘baseline’, but completely scentless. An artificial void that could only come from suppressants and blockers in the swirling sea of coffee and sweets.
A shiver ran up Ignis’ spine.
“Is there a problem here Noct?”
“No, sir, there isn’t.” Noctis’ said dully, all emotion drained from his voice.
The man’s smile grew until it was something akin to a jester’s mask. “That’s good to hear. Another complaint and that’ll be four this month. Do we need to have another discussion about customer service.”
The look on the newcomer’s face suggested that he didn’t actually mind the idea all that much but Noctis seemed to wilt on the spot. His shoulders fell and turned inward and his gaze fell to the ground. Ignis decided in that moment that he didn’t care for this man at all; aside from being scentless, something that always set Ignis’ teeth on edge, there was an oily quality to his voice and the way his eyes flickered back to the omega. It made Ignis’ skin crawl.
“Everything is fine.” He said, drawing the attention of both men back to himself; Noctis’ gaze snapping up from the floor. “He was just recommending a pastry.”
“I see.” The redhead said it like he knew a secret, amused and knowing. Ignis changed his opinion from ‘don’t care for’ to ‘Hate’. “Allow me to suggest the Tenebrae pastry, it's Noct's favorite." If the omega's face was anything to go by Ignis was going to go ahead and assume that was a lie. But probably the sort of thing their usual customers would eat up, pun not intended. ...slightly intended. "Noctis, you can leave for the day when you’re done, Talcott is coming in early for training.”
“Fine.”
There was a tense moment after that, Noctis very deliberately not looking at the man who continued to stand next to him, hand lingering on his shoulder just long enough that even Ignis found himself disquieted. The look on Noctis’ face, tight and closed off, just made the moment more uncomfortable. Finally the redhead smiled jovially and, squeezing the omega’s shoulder in a way that looked more painful than friendly (or maybe that was Ignis filling in what wasn’t there), left to return to the other side of the door.
Noctis all but deflated with relief then, frowning slightly, stomped over to the machines set up behind the counter without a word. It didn’t take long before he had a cup of coffee, already with a lid and heat sleeve on it, and a small white box sitting in front of him.
“The tart’s free.” Noctis said before Ignis could ask. “...enjoy the heart attack.”
“I will.”
----
It was a nice tart he decided later that day. Flakey buttery crust, creamy filling and just enough powdered sugar to not make it tooth-achingly sweet on top.
Ignis was certain he could make it better.
----
“An omega cafe?” Was, of course, the first thing out of Gadio’s mouth when Ignis finished recounting his experience. “And you got shitty with one of the workers?”
Ignis didn’t even bother trying to feign surprise about what his friend had taken from the story. He and Gladio always ended up seeing matters very differently; at times Ignis liked to think that was one of the better aspects of their friendship. The other man often helped him see things differently than he would on his own and that was something that had proved useful more than once.
Other times he wondered if Gladio was that way just to be contrary and frustrate him.
“I didn’t-”
“I can’t believe you’re going around yelling at omegas like that.” Gladio tsked and shook his head. “What would your uncle say?”
Ignis’ uncle, who wasn’t so much his uncle as the guardian he’d been placed with after his parents had died, was a well meaning man who had done more for Ignis than he could ever repay. He was also, as the head advisor to Senator Lucis, painfully obsessed with keeping up appearances and appearing proper at every turn. He would, no doubt, be scandalized if he were to ever catch wind of Ignis yelling (not that there had been any yelling) an omega he didn’t know. In public!
The man was also painfully old fashioned and believed not only that omegas had a proper place, which was not an opinion Ignis shared, but that alphas were to be kind and gentle with them at all times lest they upset an omega’s delicate disposition. Another belief Ignis didn’t subscribe to. He couldn’t imagine that Noctis, who’d told him no and then gotten in his face, would have cared much for being treated as if he were ‘delicate’.
“My uncle is a sexist.” He said after enough time had gone by to make it clear his friend was actually waiting for a response. Gladio pressed his lips together then shrugged, a silent concession of the point. “I however dislike people regardless of gender or dynamic and treat them accordingly.”
“How enlightened.”
“I like to think so.”
Gladio sat up straight, the front legs of his chair connecting with the floor with a thump. Ignis glanced up from his book then frowned; Gladio was smiling wickedly and his eyes were gleaming. That was the look he wore before he took Ignis by the hand and lead him down a path into something overwhelmingly idiotic. He swallowed then made a gesture for Gladio to go ahead with whatever he was going to say, bracing himself for some outstandingly bad idea.
“You’re going to have to go back and apologize.”
And there it was, just as awful as expected.
Ignis looked back down at his textbook, ready to get back to his notes. “I assure you I have no intention of returning. And I don’t have anything to apologize for. And I never yelled.”
“You don’t have classes on Friday, right?”
“Go by yourself. I won’t be party to you trying to flirt with people just trying to do their jobs in peace.” As if the university didn’t have a perfectly acceptable omega population, a good chunk of who visibly swooned when they saw Gladio. As did a fair amount of betas and alphas as well.
There was, truly, no accounting for taste.
"But you will give them a bunch of shit and get them in trouble?" The bigger man asked, single eyebrow arching.
Ignis winced.
Friday afternoon found Ignis standing outside of the cafe waiting for Gladio. It was cold and wet, snow falling but failing to becoming anything but inches of bleak, gray-brown slush, and the sky was an ugly gray.
It matched Ignis’ mood perfectly.