"You want to take a break for how long?"

"Only for a week or so, I promise it won't take longer than that." Ford tells the dream spirit, watching the creature float around him with a questioning stare. His muse's stare was causing him to squirm and his rubs the back of his neck, growing embarrassed but he couldn't help it. Ford has no control of his heats, he was just so caught up in his work and forgot to refill his prescription of suppressants.

"You know how far back this will set us, Sixer?" Bill loops a arm around the man's shoulders and sounds like he's pouting, Ford nods and can't bring himself to look at his friend. He knew Bill didn't quite understand the basics of his biology, didn't quite understand how he wouldn't be able to properly function. He wouldn't be able to work or think coherently durning this period of time.

"I know, Bill but I don't know what else I can do. I won't be able to accomplish anything in the next few days." The omega manages to look at his muse but frowns, crossing his arms over his chest in self-loathing. "I'll be utterly useless to you, I'm sorry."

"Hey now, don't say that." Bill chimes, patting his shoulder. "If you can't help it then there's nothing else that can be done, the project will have to be put on pause while you...do what you omegas do when you're in...heat, was it?"

"Yes." Ford feels his cheeks turning red and adjusts his glasses. "I'll call the pharmacy tomorrow to refill my prescription but I'll just have to send Fiddleford home and just stay put for a couple of days."

"But this heat ordeal," Bill waves his hand as he spoke, leaning against Ford's shoulder. "It's just a way of your body telling you it's ready to breed, isn't it?"

"It's when my body gives off a lot of hormones, yes." Ford looks away, clearing his throat but Bill floats in front of his face again.

"Then why don't ya find yourself one of those alpha humans to mess around with, won't that make the whole thing go by quicker?" Bill asks and completely ignores the fact the man's face was as red as a tomato.

"It would help but..." Ford didn't have Stan anymore, he didn't even know where his brother was. He looks down at his chest and feels a tug on his heart strings, his body yearning for the alpha it desperately misses. "I can't just fool around with someone I don't know, even if male omegas aren't able to become fertile and reproduce, I don't want to-"

"Have sex with someone you don't trust, I understand. I really do, Fordsie but you and I both know how important the portal is." Bill says, circling the man again until he was behind him and rests his small inky hands on his shoulders. "How much good it can give to humanity and I know you don't want to put that on halt, do you?"

"No but-"

"Then why not just get it done and over with?" Because that not really how heat works. You don't just have sex and boom, it's done.

"It doesn't really work that way, it does shorten the time period but it doesn't just go away after the one time." He tries to explain to him but Bill looks unamused by this and lets out a sigh.

"Then how long would it take if you had someone to mate with?"

"...About three days?" Ford scratches his head, remembering it didn't take even half a week when Stanley was taking care of him.

"Then we just gotta find you someone you feel comfy enough to do the deed!" Bill ruffles his hair and tapping the spot under his eye, as if he was thinking. "What about the Mcgucket fella, you both are pretty close, are ya?"

"It wouldn't matter anyway because he's a beta." Ford unconsciously reaches up to touch the old claiming mark on his neck, the idea of sleeping with his lab assistant just didn't sit well with him. Ford did like the guy, don't get him wrong but the man was already mated and not a alpha, it wouldn't work at all.

"Whatcha playing with there, sixer?" Bill is suddenly close and eyeing the mark on his neck. Ford almost hesitates but removes his hand and lets the other see, he didn't see the point of hiding it from Bill. "Looks like someone tried to take a bite out of you."

"It's something alphas do when they mate with a omega, kind of their way of claiming." Ford frowns and covers the old scar up, feeling a familiar ache in his chest again. "But he isn't around anymore, haven't seen him in years."

"Then just call the guy up and have him take care of you." Bill playfully elbows him his shoulder.

"I'd have to hunt down a way to contact him and I don't think I'd have enough time for that." Ford clears his throat, even here in the mindscape, he could already feel the symptoms eating away at his mind.

Ford lets out an achy groan and rubs the side of his temple, he feels like laying down. If his body kept this up, he'll be in his heat before nightfall. Ford's eyes open when he feels small hands running through his hair and feels another Bill rubbing his shoulders.

Bill looks around the mindscape and sees it beginning to deteriorate.

"Have a seat, pointdexter." The second Bill has him sit down in suddenly manifested chair as the original pulls his glasses off his face. "You look really pale, is that normal?"

"From being on heat suppressants for so long, most likely." Ford guesses, rubbing the bridge of his nose. His heat was probably going to be a bad one from being neglected for so long and he wasn't looking for that. Ford swallows thickly, feeling a small aching burn in the pit of his belly and breathes heavily through his nose. "It's not healthy to be on them for long periods of time."

"Wish there was someway I could help you, Fordsie." Ford hears Bill say and gives his muse a small smile in return.

"Don't worry about me, I'm just sorry about disturbing our entire work." The man rubs his face with a groan, he feels absolutely terrible. The last thing Ford would ever want to do is inconvenience Bill because of his biology, he should have been more responsible and made sure his medication was filled. "This is all my fault, I was just so caught up in the equations and progress we were making that I must have forgotten-"

"Everyone makes mistakes, sixer." The Bill rubbing his shoulders says as the original places his glasses on table that appeared next to them, Ford continues to stare at the ground with guilt. "And if it's bad for you to stay on them for so long then you need to find another alternative to handle these heats anyway!"

"You're right." Ford says softly. Of course he's right, Bill was hardly ever wrong and even if he was, who was Ford to correct him?

"Of course I am!" Bill beams, snapping his fingers and his clone disappears and leans in close. "And I think the best choice for you is to find an alpha and ask for his help or there any other options?"

"There's always..." Ford turns his head to hide his expression and clears his throat. "Masterbating or using toys but it's not effective when you're by yourself."

"But does it really help?" Bill asks, watching the environment around them falling apart. "Because you're beginning to look warm under the collar there and you're beginning to wake up."

"I'll be fine, Bill." Ford tells his muse, he closes his eyes and feels himself beginning to wake up. "But thank you for worry about me, you're a good friend."

"Of course I am!" He feels his muse ruffle his hair one last time. "Would I ever do anything to hurt you?"