Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/8132321.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Homestuck
  Relationship:
      John_Egbert/Dave_Strider, Minor_or_Background_Relationship(s), Jake
      English/Dirk_Strider
  Character:
      John_Egbert, Dave_Strider, Dave's_Bro_|_Beta_Dirk_Strider, Dirk_Strider,
      Jake_English
  Additional Tags:
      Alpha/Beta/Omega_Dynamics, Mating_Cycles/In_Heat, Oblivious_John, Dom/sub
      Undertones, submissive_dave, bottom_bitch_dave, Omega_Verse, i_mean_its
      only_sort_of_omega_verse??, more_like_a_bastardized_version_of_it_where_i
      picked_and_chose_what_i_liked
  Stats:
      Published: 2016-09-25 Words: 3117
****** Presentation Miscommunication ******
by UnhelpfulPanda
Summary
     On your sixteenth birthday, you presented as an alpha, a beta, or an
     omega. It was usually nothing to stress over, but the Strider family
     operated in odd, competitive ways. Both Dave's older brothers were
     alphas, and naturally, they expected Dave to present as alpha as
     well. Dave's sixteenth is coming up, and he's stressing big time. His
     best friend John thinks it doesn't matter, as long as he doesn't use
     the controversial and usually unhealthy suppressors. Will everything
     turn out fine in the end? Or will family expectations and hormones
     tear these two apart?? (my first time writing a/b/o, be gentle with
     me)
Notes
     my first a/b/o fanfic! or at least, first one I was "confidant"
     enough to post. Most of what I learned about omega verse was from my
     friend Lia, the rest was gleaned from reading stuff. I liked certain
     things and didn't understand other things, so this is technically not
     omega verse because I kept the things I liked and threw out the
     things I didn't like or understand. SO! a nice guide before you
     start! (assuming you read)
     -sixteen years old is when you present. usually when you are young,
     your heats are bearable without having to mate UNLESS you mess around
     with hormone suppressors. in which case, you fuck your hormones up
     -most of the time, a family with (for instance) primarily alphas will
     make more alphas. however, as is the case with Dave, Jake, and John,
     its not 100% reliable
     -an omega cannot orgasm "properly" without an alpha (or a beta, but
     its generally easier with an alpha), and until they do manage to at
     least mate once, their heat will continue on. if an omega doesn't
     have a mate or a friendly neighborhood alpha to help out, there
     are........ /services/ for hire. completely legal, only halfway
     frowned upon
     -an omega does not need lube. they produce their own lube-like slick.
     (a beta with an alpha mate, however, would need lube. betas are the
     most like "regular" humans)
     -when an alpha claims their mate, they bite down and leave a hickey
     on their mate's neck. This mark does not go away while the two are
     together, and will tint the omega's scent with a "taken" smell for
     other alphas to know about
See the end of the work for more notes
            John Egbert and his best bro in the entire world, Dave Strider,
were laying on John’s bed in silence. Dave’s sixteenth birthday was coming up
within days, and John knew Dave was stressed out. After all, your sixteenth
birthday was when you finally presented as an alpha, beta, or omega. John felt
no need to stress about it. What you presented as was not anything to be
ashamed of. In fact, you should be proud of presenting for the first time! But
maybe John felt that way because his sixteenth was five months away.
            “Soooo?” John finally prompted. It was killing him to not discuss
it. He didn’t want to keep stressing Dave out but he NEEDED to talk about it.
            “What?” Dave mumbled, playing dumb. John groaned and rolled over
onto his back, kicking his legs in the air like a child.
            “Don’t be a big dummy, you know what I’m asking!” John whined.
            “Nah man, I guess I must be, as you so eloquently put it, a ‘big
dummy’, because I’m clueless,” the blonde shrugged. John pouted at his cool
friend, but Dave just leveled him a blank stare through his shades until John
gave in.
            “What do you think you’ll present as??” the younger boy questioned.
Dave turned his head away to look back up at the ceiling, but John could see
the slight furrow of his brow as soon as the topic was brought up.
            “Alpha, of course.”
            “Wow, you sound so sure of yourself,” John rolled his eyes.
            “Well, my mom was an alpha, and so is Bro and Dirk. And Rose just
presented a month ago and she’s an alpha too. Roxy is the only one who is a
beta,” Dave shrugged.
            “So you could be a beta,” John nudged his friend, then looked to
the ceiling. “Both my parents were betas, so I’m pretty sure when the time
comes I’ll present as a beta as well,” he explained.
            “Jake’s whole family was alphas and betas and he turned out to be
an omega. Weird things happen sometimes,” Dave mumbled so that the black-haired
boy could barely hear him. John slowly rolled over so he was facing his friend.
            “Is that what is worrying you?” he asked quietly. Dave was still
for a moment before he turned to lie on his side facing his best friend.
            “Yeah...I know it shouldn’t be such a big deal, but if I present as
anything other than an alpha it will be humiliating,” he sighed. “Like I said,
Roxy is the only one who is a beta. It’s not so bad for her because she doesn’t
have the pressure on her that I do from my brothers.”
            “Why is there pressure?” John asked. “You can’t control what you
present as! Unless you use suppressors. But obviously, that’s just suppressing
things, not really controlling them. And suppressors have really terrible side
effects!” John explained.
            “There’s not supposedto be pressure, but Dirk and Bro have some
stupid one-upmanship game that I was automatically signed up for immediately
upon exiting the womb. I’ve basically been training to present like an alpha my
entire life, John. If I’m anything else, they’ll do shitty things. Like exclude
me from strifes!” Dave grabbed the pillow from underneath John’s head and
brought it to his face, groaning loudly into the fabric.
            “Just… just don’t take suppressors, okay? They’re really
unhealthy,” John murmured. Dave was silent. “Hey! I know you heard me, Strider!
Tell me you won’t!” he cried, shoving Dave’s shoulder, but Dave just waved him
off. “Ugh! You’re such a shitsniffer!” he complained, kicking his feet
childishly. Dave just snorted and whacked him with the pillow, starting up an
epic pillow fight. 
===============================================================================
 
            Dave’s birthday came and went without John seeing his best friend
once. They were going camping for Dave’s birthday and wouldn’t have reception,
Dave told him before ceasing further contact.
            It was a week before Dave texted John again. John immediately told
the blonde he was coming over, to which Dave just replied with a single ‘k’.
The blue eyed boy expected his best friend to be the one to answer the door and
tackled him, but it was actually the middle Strider.
            Dirk stumbled back but stayed upright. “Whoa there kiddo, I’m
flattered but I don’t go for anyone who hasn’t even presented yet,” Dirk told
him, and John’s cheeks went red and he pulled away quickly. Dirk turned
slightly so he was facing inside the house. “Dave! Your little boyfriend is
here!” he called, and John’s entire face colored to match his cheeks.
            “He’s not my boyfriend,” Dave muttered as he approached the front
door. Without even pausing to ask first, John leaned forward and inhaled Dave’s
space. “Do you mind not snorting me like the finest of coke, Egbert? Shit’s
expensive and you’re sniffin’ it all up. What will the crackwhores do now?
Bitches goin’ through withdrawal already, all because your nasal passages were
greedy motherfuckers. Damn man how could you impact my business like this, now
I gotta-”
            “Dave.” John and Dirk both cut him off at the same time. Dave
shrugged as Dirk rolled his eyes and shoved past him.
            “You don’t smell like anything!” John whined. Dave sniffed his
shoulder and shrugged.
            “I smell the manly subtle scent of axe cologne,” he corrected.
            “Yes, but you don’t smell like you presented!” John huffed,
stomping his foot. “Are you using suppressors? I toldyou those were bad for
you!” John complained.
            “It’s really none of your business!” Dave snapped, and John’s eyes
went wide. “Wait, I didn’t mean… I didn’t mean to yell at you,” he sighed,
reaching a hand out for the black haired boy.
            John stepped back quickly, eyebrows knitted together and mouth
curled is displeasure. “No, you didmean to. I guess you’re right; it isn’tany
of my business whether you are compromising your health,” John retorted,
turning on his heels to leave.
            “John, come on…” Dave began.
            “After all,” John interrupted. “I should only care about my
friends’ health, and you’ve obviously proved that we aren’tfriends. So why
should I care?” John huffed. He squeezed his eyes shut to ward off the angry
tears and then ran.
            “John!” Dave shouted after him, but he kept running. “JOHN!” 
===============================================================================
 
            It had been six months since John had seen Dave, and not once had
the red-eyed boy called to set things straight. Not only that; all of the
Striders were snubbing him. Jake had invited him out to a movie and Dirk had
literally gotten up and left as soon as he saw John. Jake had looked between
his retreating mate and his friend and gave John an apologetic look as he
chased after his alpha.
            John’s hurt and anger only grew when his own sixteenth birthday
rolled around and he presented as an alpha. His immediate thought was to
excitedly message Dave, before remembering. He destroyed his entire room in
alpha rage, and all it managed to do was force him to clean his room again.
            So a week later, when he bumped into Dirk and Bro out in town, he
expected them to scoff and keep walking. He didn’texpect Dirk to lean forward
and sniff him inquisitively. “Did you present as an alpha?” he asked, a curious
eyebrow rising.
            “Yeah, why?” John retorted, crossing his arms. Dirk and Bro looked
to each other and nodded.
            “Dave kicked us out of the house for a month,” Bro explained.
            “The suppressors he was on started really making him sick so his
doctor ordered him to stop taking them,” Dirk added.
            “But now his body is adjusting without the suppressors and he’s
doing worse than ever,” Bro glanced at Dirk, who nodded again. “We were hoping
you could go over to our place and talk to him. At least convince him to let us
come pick up some of our shit, you know?” he asked.
            “Why me?” John asked suspiciously.
            “Well, you’re still his best friend and he misses you. If he’ll
listen to anyone, he’ll listen to you,” Dirk shrugged. A pang hit the blue-eyed
boy’s heart.
            He chewed his lip in thought, but eventually sighed heavily. “Yeah,
alright, I’ll go over now,” he agreed. The older Striders smirked at each other
and handed him the key before almost hurrying off.
            John hoped he wasn’t walking into some kind of trap where he gets
tortured and murdered and then they eat him, or something. (***) 
===============================================================================
 
            John didn’t bother knocking on the front door; he had the key so
why knock? As soon as he opened the door, omega pheromones hit him so hard he
almost staggered back. He rubbed his nose and tried not to let the pheromones
affect him.
            “Dave?” he called. “Dave, it’s John. Your brothers told me to check
up on you. Why does your house smell like omega?” he asked.
            There was a crash from deeper in the house and John hurried towards
the sound. He tried Dave’s bedroom door only to find it locked. “Dave??” He
cried. “Dave, are you okay??”
            “Y-yes! I’m fine! G-get out!” Dave shouted back. John glared at the
other boy through the door.
            “No, I’m not leaving until you open this door!” he yelled back.
            “Get ooooooooout,” Dave whined, sounding almost pained.
            “I’m breaking down this door on the count of three!” John told him.
            “Don’t!”
            “One!”
            “John, j-just go!”
            “Two!”
            “Please…please, John…”
            John hesitated for a moment, then called “Three!” and smashed into
the door with his alpha strength. The aroma of omega pheromones was almost too
much for the alpha to handle, and his body began reacting against his will. In
the middle of the room laid Dave, curled up in bed and shaking like a leaf.
            “Dave?” John asked softly, and Dave lifted his head. John’s blue
eyes met the cloudy, lust filled red of Dave’s, and John's heart hammered in
his chest so hard he felt like it would break free.
            “Joooohn!” Dave moaned desperately, and John was crossing the room
and scooping up the blonde into his arms in an instant.
            “You’re an omega,” John mumbled, though it was obvious by this
point. Dave clutched at him frantically, breathing fast and hard as he tugged
at John’s clothes. “Dave, stop, are you sure this is what you want?” John asked
even as his hands began to wander. He wanted to respect Dave’s boundaries, but
if Dave didn’t want this then John would have to leave right now.
            “Please, please it hurts so badly, I need you,” Dave begged. John
grabbed the omega by the back of the neck and smashed his lips to the blonde’s.
The six months apart had been apparent, as John had hit a growth spurt when
Dave did not. As such, he was almost a foot taller than the other boy, all
broad shoulders and muscle whereas Dave was soft and slim. Still, they fit
together perfectly, Dave’s hands in John’s hair as John hoisted him into his
lap.
            John pushed Dave back until he was leaning over him on the bed.
Dave lifted his chin, exposing his pale neck for the alpha to mark up. John
licked his lips but refrained from such a possessive act. He was only here to
help Dave because he was an alpha and omegas can’t get through heat without an
alpha. He wasn’t here to claim Dave as his mate.
            Instead, John moved to rid himself of his shirt and jeans. Dave had
only been wearing a pair of briefs from the beginning, but he shimmied the
omega out of those as well. Dave ran his hands down John's chest reverently
before John took him by the wrists and pinned him to the bed.
            John leaned down to kiss at Dave’s skin, kissing down to one of his
nipples before he gave in and scraped his teeth against the pink nub. Dave
gasped and arched his chest up into John’s mouth. John flicked his tongue
against one nipple as his fingers pinched and rubbed at the other.
            “I thought I was going to go crazy without you, John,” Dave moaned
softly as John’s lips trailed down to his navel before nibbling on one of his
bony hipbones. “The doctor told me my first heat after the suppressors was
going to be hell. I thought I could handle it, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t,
John, you were right. Ah!” Dave cried out, hands flying to John’s hair as the
alpha took his cock into his mouth.
            John pulled off and met Dave’s eyes. “Keep talking,” he growled
before going back to sucking Dave’s dick. Dave moaned loudly.
            “It hurt so bad, John, so bad my brothers couldn’t stand to be in
the house and left. Th-they found out you presented as alpha and as soon as
they told me I knew I needed your help JOHN!” Dave screamed as John took his
cock all the way to the hilt and hummed.
            John pulled off with a lewd pop and smirked down at the omega when
he whimpered. “Why not find someone else? Why me?” he asked. Dave raised
himself until he could capture the black haired boy’s lips.
            “I’ve wanted it to be you since before I presented, John. I was
nervous that I would embarrass myself around you if I went into heat so I took
suppressors, even though you told me not to,” Dave started. John absently began
running his fingers through the blonde’s hair, and he smiled softly and
continued. “But the suppressors made me disoriented and weak and a month ago,
after I collapsed in the shower, my brothers took me to the doctor’s. The
doctor made me stop taking the suppressors and right after I went into heat and
it was so bad it hurt,” Dave explained.
            “Does it still hurt?” John whispered.
            “It’s bearable now that you’re here,” he murmured back. John kissed
him again and he kissed back desperately, and when they parted he tilted his
chin up again to offer his neck to the alpha once more.
            This time, John could not resist. He leaned forward and sank his
teeth into Dave’s neck, sucking a dark bruise into the pale skin as Dave moaned
loudly. He pulled back to admire his mark before returning his attention back
to the red-eyed omega, who had grown desperate once more.
            “Breed me, John, I need it. I need it so badly,” Dave begged. John
agreed, rolling his mate over. Dave presented his ass to his alpha, almost
wiggling it in his excitement.
            John smacked his ass lightly and Dave sucked in a harsh breath.
“You like that?” John teased, and Dave nodded eagerly. “Maybe next time, okay?
You’ve been waiting so long for my cock, haven’t you?” he purred.
            “So long, John, so long it hurts! Please!” Dave whined. John leaned
over his mate, lining himself up before carefully sinking his cock into his
omega’s ass. Dave moaned pitifully as he was filled up for the first time.
            John held him up as his arms gave out, one arm wrapped around his
chest and the other around his waist. “You’re so tight, you feel so good,” John
murmured in Dave’s ear as he gently thrust in and out. Dave whined, trying to
turn his head to see his alpha.
            “Need to see you,” he whimpered. John pulled out with a small
protest from the blonde, rolling him over. Dave instantly wrapped his legs
around John’s hips as the black haired boy entered him again. Dave arched his
back with a loud moan, and John leaned down at nibbled and sucked at his neck
as he set up a fast, almost punishing pace.
            Dave wrapped his arms around John’s neck and dug his nails into the
alpha’s flesh, scratching red angry lines into the tan skin. John just growled
and thrust harder, drawing moans and screams from his needy mate. “So close, so
close please John!” Dave cried out, and John mashed their lips together in a
bruising kiss as his hips sped up. Dave screamed as he came, splattering his
release all over his chest. John groaned as his omega tightened up around him
and let his own orgasm wash over him, lazily thrusting until he finished.
            Dave sagged under his mate with a satisfied sigh, and John pulled
out and laid beside him, pulling the omega against his chest and wrapping his
arms around him. They laid together as both of them calmed down, basking in the
glow of some damn good sex.
            “Did you mean what you said?” John finally asked softly. Dave made
a small tired noise of confusion. “Of needing me, I mean. Of wanting me to be
your mate,” he clarified.
            “Yeah, duh. I know omegas get really slutty and desperate but do
you really think I’d lie to you? Even in slutty desperate omega heat?” Dave
replied.
            “No, I guess not,” John agreed, finger tracing gently over the mark
he made claiming Dave as his. “Still, I shouldn’t have claimed you when you
were in such a vulnerable state…” he mumbled.
            “I’m glad you did; I’ve wanted you to claim me since the day I
presented as omega. I don’t want anyone but you for the rest of my life,” Dave
yawned. “Sorry, another effect of being in heat. Besides being a slutty whiny
asshole, I’m also tired. Tired and horny is the greatest combination ever,
right? Ugh,” Dave muttered.
            “Don’t worry, I’ll fuck you and nap with you as much as you want,”
John smiled, kissing his omega’s forehead.
            “I’ll hold you to that,” Dave smirked back. Before they could
settle in for their post-mating nap, Dave’s cellphone started to ring. “Answer
that for me, please?” Dave yawned again. John answered the call and hit
speaker.
            “Hey Dave, did you make up with your little boyfriend?” Dirk asked
once the call was answered.
            “More importantly, did your little boyfriend become your little
mate and fuck you into a happy omega puddle of satisfaction?” Bro added on.
            Dave groaned in annoyance. “Dave’s ‘little mate’ here, and I
definitelyfucked him into a happy, satisfied omega puddle. What do you think,
Dave?” John asked.
            “Hang up on those shitheads, I wanna nap,” he whined in his most
pathetic voice. John snorted and hung up on the older Striders as they started
to shout questions into the receiver.
            “I love you, Dave,” he murmured, kissing Dave’s forehead gently.
Dave snuggled up with his face pressed against John’s chest.
            “Love you too, John…” he mumbled back, already half asleep. John
buried his face into his mate’s blonde locks and let sleep take him as well.
End Notes
     ***this line is a vague reference to sgt-spank's Yandere_Strider_AU.
     Felix and I are tumblr mutuals and he's really awesome and talented.
     yandere isn't really my thing, but its a great AU and what was
     initially just "John hoped he wasn't walking into a trap" morphed
     into a reference! ;P (Also, a chance to promote someone I consider a
     friend was an opportunity I wasn't gonna pass up. He's great, his art
     is awesome, you should check his stuff out!)
     anyways, this fic is super fast paced and a bit cliche, but I love
     cliches and have no concept of pacing, so its to be expected.
     also, the disagreement that suspended their friendship was so
     dramatic and butthurt-y, I'm sorry I didn't feel like making it more
     believable. John is easily hurt! and he says mean things when he's
     hurt. I guess.
     (and a special thanks to Grammarly, who corrected some stupid
     mistakes that I hadn't seen. I usually ignore your help, Grammarly,
     but this time I was grateful I added you to Chrome!)
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