((Part one of a two parted request for Omegaverse fluff! *Gasp* Omegaverse fluff you say? Why yes! So if you have any requests for a topic, be it historical, a trope or anything else. Just ask!))

The world worked in a class system, the system of Alpha's, Omega's and Beta's. It was easy enough to follow, Alpha's being the ones who protected and often were seen as threatening to the other groups. The ones most likely to explode into fits of rage and fights. Omega's often being viewed as motherly, soft-spoken, kind. The easiest form to think of these groups as extremes of mothers and fathers. This leaving Beta's being the neutrality between them. They were viewed as lucky due to not having to be stuck with the hormonal issues that came with not having an 'A' or 'B' marker. Beta's didn't work on a cycle system, they would not be affected by the seasons, by others, by the damned need to mate for a week every other month. The kept society working after all. These were the ideals of each group,

But not everyone fit the simple box system. Not Lovino for sure. Lovino had the temper of an Alpha but somehow the rest of the traits were lost somewhere in his gene's along the way. The height, the sculpted muscles, the cocky attitude, these all being the traits that others wanted in their Alpha. But Lovino didn't fit these traits and often was mistaken by others as an Omega. This left the Italian wishing not to participate in the gift giving events of finding a mate.

It was traditional, that a few week before the heat that you would go out and buy gifts for your mate, your omega, your bitch. You where to shower them with gifts to show you could provide for the Omega or that you could support a family which heat often resulted in. Babies, lifelong contentions, guilt if you didn't keep in touch because casual sex was not a thing when you spend a whole week without a damn brain and chemicals taking over your body. In the Italian mindset, it was greatly frowned upon and Lovino was a proud Italian.

This was one of the many rules which were not spoken but expected. Mostly rules about behaviour when it came to the courtship and traditions which surrounded cycles of Omegas and Alphas. Like the gifts, but also the fact that Alpha's had to be the one's to go looking for their mates. Omega's sat around waiting for their other halves. That what they were meant to do at least. There were rules about what should happen once an Alpha found a mate they wanted. It was a system to keep people from forcing themselves onto others. It was an issue for quite a while in history. Self-restraint was often deemed desirable. The only time Alpha's went into any kind of rut was if they were around their bonded omega. So in other words, without a mate, there was no need to have a rut and without a rut no real need for a mate. Thus Lovino's reasoning for avoiding the whole affair. Not to say that he didn't flirt, he did he always found it enjoyable to watch Omega's and Beta's alike go red at a good pick up line or a couple hours of getting to know someone and complimenting them over coffee. It was just, he never fell in love. He was perfectly fine with such a thing.

The man was currently visiting Barcelona due to his artwork being showcased there at the time. He was only there for a little while just a travel stop to show off artwork that he was proud of, but his gallery wasn't for another day or so. For the time being, he was simply was playing tourist. Other people did it all the time where he lived, Rome was a hot spot for those type of people and so he was enjoying the other side of the situation for a little bit. He walked around the city, took in sites, and found some decent places to get a coffee away from his beloved cafe down the street from his house where he had his studio. The coffee there made him less homesick for as long as the cup had lasted.

The Italian walked over to a Cafe close to where his hotel was. It wasn't down the street or anything but it was no more than a 20-minute walk away from it. He has gotten his cup in hand and scanned the room for a moment before he spotted someone who caught his eye. He did wonder if it would be easy to chat up someone in the cafe as it would be back home. But then spotted someone else and it was like a spotlight was showing exactly who he should be paying attention too. He stared at the person across the cafe from him. That is until he was caught staring and quickly looked away with a blush as he sipped at his coffee. It wasn't another sip into his drink when he heard someone take a seat in front of him, hearing the chair move he glanced to who it could be and found the same person who he had been staring at a moment ago.

"Ciao." He started with, figuring it was better than offering a welcome in Spanish since he still had some issue with some of the pronunciation. Not easy to pick up people when you had to stutter through the language. "Mind if I sit here?" The stranger asked with a smile. The table was waved at to further his point and Lovino gave a nod as if to welcome him to sit next to him. With bright green eyes on him, he almost went a bright red at how beautiful they were, how that smile was even in his eyes. Wow. Lovino's grin only widened, he swore he never smiled this much before. "I'm Lovino, what's your name?" He asked cheerfully like he always did when flirting.

His eyes where the colour of meadows in the spring, full of colour and like breathing in cleared air after a rainstorm, bright as the shine of his smile. His skin kissed by the sun, tanned and golden like caramel. It made Lovino paused to think about if his lips, if his tongue, tasted like such a sweet thing. If he could possibly bare to find out and handle something so sweet. "My name's Antonio." The man's accent was thick, but his voice warm nonetheless. Not nearly as low as Lovino's, which he took note of, but it was inviting and he knew from that small laugh that echoed after the introduction that Antonio has to be a beautiful singer. "Um, you're not here to offer me gifts right? Because I don't know you so you should wait until I know you before you do anything like that." He added after a moment, the smile never leaving his face. Clearly, this wasn't someone who was shy about how attractive he was or how often he got gifts. It seemed like he hated the idea in fact, which was odd. You would think anyone would love to be spoiled like that.

Lovino blinked back as he was asked this, it was so unreal for someone to be so blunt about such a thing after all much less to him. He shook his head. "No, you just... Ugh, just looked like you could use a refill of coffee soon." He explained, now that he thought about it though he didn't quite know what had drawn him over to the table each with their own coffee in hand as they sat there. "But. I know what you mean Being showered in gifts is a little insulting." He had chuckled, being mistaken one too many times.

"It honestly feels more like drowning." Was the reply though the tone was chipper, not even a second of hesitation. This conversation must have been said a thousand times before from the Spaniard's side of the conversation. It was in that moment, Lovino knew that he too would soon be another story for another stranger to talk about how he was being drowned in affection and gifts. There was a part of the Italian which knew that he could not compete or even offer some new conversation to the man in front of him. Lovino gave a hum in response and a nod before muttering a "Sorry." His eyes plastered onto the table, not even able to look at his cup of coffee at this point. "I don't usually get asked if I am the one offering gifts." He explained and shook his head to shake away any of the thoughts that had clouded him. "Well, Antonio," Lovino was making sure to use the man's name. He knew what it was like to be used to being idealised and romanticised as it was. This causing Lovino to use a different technique than usual. "What kind of coffee would you like? Or are you good with just that one cup?" A chuckle was his first response and Lovino's smile softened as he listened to it. He wasn't one to be easily addicted but to that laugh, he didn't know how anyone could not want to hear that every waking moment. "That's a gift~" The Spaniard sang back and leant back amusement flickering in his green eyes at Lovino as he shrugged. "It's an icebreaker." The other suggested to him with the same look in his eyes. "I won't buy you any stuffed animals I promise." Lovino then drew a cross over his chest where his heart was. To anyone else, it would look like they were courting each other. It was too early to determine if they were, for them at least it was.

"You're very odd, for an Alpha."

"Who said I was an Alpha?"

That particular comment made Antonio laugh yet again, this time, louder.

Oh, as if it was obvious. If only everyone else saw whatever the hell Antonio did in that moment, Lovino wouldn't have to bitterly explain to people that he would gladly show how hung he was to prove it. They were a nice new type of person for each other. The two now had a compromise of sorts, Lovino would not treat Antonio like he was some glass statue to adore and to be handled with care, and in turn, Antonio wouldn't belittle Lovino for his own insecurities like height or how his eyes looked like mud.

Each of them talking about their interests over cups of coffee and pastries. Lovino allowed it to go towards Antonio's bill in the interest showing that he was not going to romanticise him. Antonio was studying Psychology and Sociology. Extremely fascinated in why people thought Omega's were fragile and why Alpha's were strong and why this as this way and why people were grouped into places at all. It was lovely to listen to Lovino, to watch this man explain that the extremes of people were bad for society as a whole. "I do understand why things are the way they are, given the history. But I don't understand why it differs so much from country to country." He had stated before he had another sip. Though by far, Lovino's favorite quote from the Spaniard was 'We are a spectrum, so to assume that we are all the same is a great mistake that everyone overcomes.' Lovino watched him and though he did not wish to fall for the omega, he found himself slipping in those moments of listening to him.

It is so easy to fall in love watching someone being passionate about something they truly love. But the subject changed who's passion they were discussing after a while, Antonio asking questions about the Alpha in front of him. If he was to even think about meeting up again. Something about this one seemed to not be the usual 'I want to be with you because you cute' type of Alpha. Though, he knew far too well not to stereotype people he found most Alpha's to be a little too headstrong at first impression. Like their default was hostile. Lovino seemed to be holding that side of himself back at least. Tip toeing, relating, stuff like that. It wasn't typical after all. But this was probably due to the fact the other was mistaken for an omega all the time.

But a coffee ended in two, and then it got late and Lovino had gotten into a discussion on his artwork. The reason for being in town in the first place. As he spoke happily about being able to travel to show his artwork he waved his arms around and spoke frantically. He did notice the smile on the other's face but he just kept talking about his artwork. "I am actually here for a show in a couple of days. Those it's nothing big, it's a nice stepping stone to be better known and actually make money off of this." He had explained and he saw something light up in those green eyes across the table from him. "What?" He had asked.

"Would it be bad if I went to that art show with you? I love looking at art." There was a look in his eyes, something extremely happy which made Lovino turn a shade of pink darker than usual. "Ugh... It's mostly an amateur's show. But if you wanted to go, I wouldn't mind, no. Just no teasing my artwork." he pointed to the man across from him who grinned wider as he was pointed too. Then a pause fell over them as they smiled at each other. It wasn't awkward as you would expect, in fact, it was rather comforting. The sounds of a busy cafe around them and they just sat there as the world passed around the two and they sat there.

After a little bit, Lovino did end up asking for Antonio's phone. To get the information for the gallery into the phone so that he knew, so that they could see each other again and not be pressured to be more than friends for the time being. It was good to have a friend in a world like this after all. "I am only putting my number in here in case you get lost." He stated as he put his contact information down as well. Antonio laughed at this, "You sure you're not just trying to get with me~?" He teased and Lovino scoffed a little. "Oh shush. I probably will get lost too. So that's all. I swear."

Eventually, the two had to part ways for meals, other people to interact with, stuff like that. After all, their whole day couldn't be spent in a cafe. Imagine how costly that would become by dinner? Lovino went back to his hotel, eating a meal and trying his hardest to not draw out Antonio. That wouldn't be a good thing. He was sure it happened often and it would be rude to draw him. But he couldn't help himself and ended up spending hours focused on trying to sketch out Antonio. His eyes, how they were lively and inviting. The omegas build which made him look closer to the ideal of an alpha than omega but he found no problem in that. He enjoyed it. The way his hand held the coffee cup. Every detail he could retain was poured into this sketch and the Italian truly felt as though it was an awful thing to do so soon into meeting this person. But he couldn't help himself, this was an area where he lacked self-control. When it came to painting people, drawing them. People model so much better when they are unaware they are being drawn anyway that's what this particular artist found. He couldn't wait to see the other again. Something about him not being there in that moment hurt just a little.

This is because you don't know you're in love until there is an absence of the other person. Not till it hurts do you notice how much relief they brought to breathing. But now, for the next day or so all Lovino had for what he had drawn. Which he could paint later, he was sure of it. Not without Antonio being aware of that fact. He deserved to know if he was being painted, he did deserve to know he was sketched. But it was too soon to say he had done that already. So the Italian laid there, up-side-down as he watched the TV in his room. Waiting for his text in hopes Antonio would text him. In hopes, he would not simply fade out of his life.

((Okay, so I know this is kinda a shitty fic rn. The ending is kinda anti-climatic. But I'll explain why rn. See, this was a request and I went overboard with it. There is currently this chapter and 2 others written for it. I am aware I am putting this in the one shot story. I will be putting this one up, and what happens after the heat bc those will be the fluffiest parts. But I will put the rest of it in it's own Story which I will update this chapter with it's name once I figure that out! So enjoy this and wait for part two to be finished. Thanks!))